India indeed has many reasons to celebrate her 70th Republic Day because she has accomplished a lot in the past 70 years of being a sovereign independent republic. Ever since 1947, she has indeed breathed the air of freedom and liberty from the suffocating clutches of foreign rule for over 200 years. But does she realize that for the same past 70 years, she has subjected others to the same suffocating foreign rule with her arrogant military power and her most unjust laws and Acts?
Why is the whole so called North East India agitating and boycotting the 70th Indian republic day tomorrow? Surely, if they were really a part of India, they should also have been enthusiastically participating in India’s republic day. And why are there still draconian Acts and Regulations like the Disturbed Area Act of 1955 and the Armed Forces Special Powers Act 1958 still operating in the so called Indian north eastern states? Acts like these and others like the Assam Disturbed Area Act 1953 and the Nagaland Regulation Act 1962 have been there right from the early 1950’s to the present? Do any other states in the world suppress and oppress their own citizens with such draconian laws even while celebrating 70 years of their independence days?
As for Nagaland, Nagaland is not in India, but India is presently in Nagaland by invasion and occupation. As such, while respecting India’s sovereign flag, I for one will never voluntarily celebrate India’s Republic Day in my land or salute her national flag in my land.
Kaka D. Iralu
