When Nehru died, the mantle of power was passed on to ‘his daughter Indira Gandhi, who abolishes the Privy Purse to the former Indian princely rulers, and adopted other populace measures and she was at its heights. But, Indira utterly failed to resolve the Naga issue. In the step of Nehru, she thought Nagas can be forcibly subdued and adopted repressive measures guided by the Indian political intelligence agencies, the SB and other networks against the Nagas.
The ultimate outcome was the haphazard 1975 Shillong Accord signed by the Naga underground NNC leaders under duress. This dubious deceitfulness of Indira Gandhi had cost thousands of precious Naga lives in the hands of the Indian security agencies and among the Naga factional groups directly or indirectly till to this day.
Down the line, Indira Gandhi daughter-in-law Sonia Gandhi, the president of the ruling congress party and the power behind the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh had steadfastly harping that the territory of Manipur will not be disturbed in the last two consecutive Manipur Assembly election campaigns in the Imphal valley. In other words, the Naga hill regions of Manipur will not be amalgamated with. other Naga territories, which further, goes to say that the Naga territories of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh states will not be merged to form a common Nagaland or Nagalim.
Sonia Gandhi’s radical views to maintain the integrity of Manipur has not been of political conviction or love of the Meiteis or hatred of the Nagas. But, simply to win. the two MPs seats to capture power in New Delhi and win majority of the 60 assembly seats to stall a congress party government in the tiny state of Manipur. This greed of power irrespective of the ground realities is what always has been for Nehru and his descendants.
Sonia Gandhi’s utterance against solving one issue (Naga issue) at the cost of a section of people unrest (Meiteis) is not encouraging, is most negative and is a political sin. Only people lacking political will and political wisdom repeat such fouls ideas. Naga issue is a human issue. The state has divided the Nagas and they have to explore ways and authoritatively call upon the states to be affected by the birth right of Naga integration. Failure to convince the opposing group will be nothing short of “failed politics” of the congress party in the unrest Nort East region.
Common Nagas blindly but, with fullest confidences follows the underground great leaders, A. Z. Phizo, Isak Chishi Swu, T. Muivah, S.S. Khaplang and others on the demand of sovereignty and other clauses to safe guard the rights of the present and future Nagas. But, what is integration is well understood by every Nagas. For the interest of the Meiteis, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh states, Nagas interest have not to be sacrificed.
Any formulae to solve the Naga issue without Naga integration will be more worst then the 1975 Shillong Accord misadventure. To reverse the like 1975 Shillong Accord, the only option is, the cease fire have to go on or reverted to bush war or civil war may be ensued pursuing the Naga integration course. Naga integration have not to be compromised as without which, the solution will be a “piece meal” solution. For all the ills Sonia Gandhi will be responsible.