When Manipur University community went on strike against the Vice Chancellor, BJP MP Prahlad Patel Singh called the University as “Den of insurgence” in the floor of the parliament. The Central Human Resource Development Minister takes over 80 days to act on the demand by the Manipur University Community. Almost all mainland media have limited space to cover the stories why the Manipur University Community was on strike for such a long period. To the contrary a similar demand by teaching community of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) takes hardly a day for all the mainland media to publish all details of why the JNU teachers demanded want to remove vice-chancellor Jagadesh Kumar from office. None from the among any of the MPs called JNU as a den of insurgence. It is perhaps by fate that the dust in the Manipur University has been settled after an agreement has been signed with the Manipur University Community and the representative of the MHRD after around 80 days. Commitment of the teachers’ was well delivered and the teachers’ works even on Sunday to finish up all the pending works to make sure that career of the students are not marred. At the time when Teachers along with the Manipur University community went on strike, there were many who criticized the MU community. But when the teachers spend sleepless night to safe the career of the students, none had expressed any words of appreciations.
The episode of the Manipur University is being reminded as a wake up called to all the Manipuri including the rebel groups who are engaging in peace talk with the government of India. Yes, this is about the NSCN-IM and the infamous Frame Work Agreement, at which the content is not let known to any of Naga brethrens including the armed cadres of the rebel group. It takes almost over 2 decades to find a way for a solution, that too a completely different solution from what the rebel group had demanded initially. Every time when election comes the issue about bringing a solution will be in the public sphere creating apprehension and chaos to the state of Manipur. The more the issue for solution of the NSCN-IM deals comes up the more the enmity emerges between brothers of Hill and Plain people. Meetings, protest will keep busy the valley people with apprehension of the potential threat to the Manipur’s unity, while in the hill many supporting the NSCN-IM cause will organize protest against the valley base civil society organization.
Now the question is, Is the issue of the NSCN-IM going to be solved at the earliest possible times? How sincere and serious is the government of India to the issue of the NSCN-IM? Why the issue about bringing a solution is brought to the limelight during election time only?
Well August 3, 2015, A framework agreement was signed. A parliamentary committee report on the North east particularly about the issue of the NSCN-IM was submitted. And everyone knows that BJP is busy preparing for the upcoming parliamentary election scheduled in 2019.
As per the report speculations about granting a special status which is similar to that of Article 371 of the Indian Constitution or probability of implementing the 6th scheduled for one specific community has worried almost all people of the state.
Well it was only yesterday that the Supreme Court had adjourned the hearing on petitions challenging constitutional validity of Article 35 A. Article 370 which gives special status to the state of Jammu and Kashmir is being challenge by an NGO supported by the ruling BJP party.
Well, on the question of Article 371 (A) or a similar one, if suppose is granted as a special package to solve the matter of the NSCN-IM will not it be required to table in the floor of the house as it needs constitutional amendment. The pro BJP is already fighting in the Supreme Court against any special status privilege as the country needs an equal law for the entire citizen. What makes the collective leadership of the NSCN-IM in believing such a promise (that too from a Interlocutor) is a matter needs to be pondered by all people of Nagaland who trusted the NSCN-IM.
Regarding the implementation of sixth Scheduled of the Indian constitution, the state already has implemented an adjusted form of the administration system. The so called Sixth Scheduled was passed by the state assembly with the word local adjustment. The term “Local Adjustment” can be anything. Moreover, the Article 371C of the Indian Constitution has already incorporated with the so called sixth scheduled if the “local Adjustment” has to be included.
On the other hand intrusion by Indian army or the Pakistan army at border state Jammu and Kashmir or Arunachal Pradesh is a serious issue of the Indian Government. Manipur even though is also told to be an integral part of the India; the central government doesn’t care if the people of the state said that the Myanmar government has intruded at the territory of the state.
This is a wakeup call to all the people of the region, until the people units the region will always a playfield for those in power at the center.
