[dropcap]I[/dropcap]ndia celebrates the 66th Republic Day on Monday with the most powerful man on Earth gracing the pompous occasion. The aim of the Government of India to invite the American President has been obvious. Today, President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are two leaders swiftly galvanizing the relationship between America and India or the people of America and the people of India. The hype and euphoria accompanying this year’s Republic Day celebrations in the mainland India are bigger than usual. But we in the Northeast India region have a fine reason for demur.Even after more than half a century of Independence or becoming a Republic the region is yet to enjoy the fruit of India’s modernity, thanks to the policies of the Government. If the approach of the Government is not changed we don’t expect the region to be developed.
To begin listing some step-motherly approaches, the issue of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958 is one of them. When the Maoists are indulging in more violent activities the Government of India ignore these facts and did not promulgate the AFSPA in the Maoists infested States in central India. For the Northeast, the Army is being used by arming them with enormous power to strike against its own citizens under the cover of the dreaded AFSPA, 1958. Actually, the Army’s core mission has been to ensure national security. As such, the Army should defend the country from external aggression and threats and maintain security in the borders.
Two, when comes to the development policies the Government of India thinks today for the Northeast region what it had already implemented in the rest of the country years, if not decades ago. To cite a case, the double-lane and four-lane roads are unheard things in the region until few years ago when the rest of the country has gone for broadways. Again, the Government is today talking to develop sports infrastructure in the Northeast when numerous stadia outside the region are crumbling on expiry. One latest insulting and demeaning act has been the ‘announcement’ made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the last Hornbill Festival where he said, “An amount of Rs 5000 crore has been earmarked for the Northeast region for boosting 2G mobile phone connectivity.” He said this as recent as last month when the rest of the country is going for 4G.
The list can go on.
