Neither here, nor there

As the movement for Frontier Nagaland gathers more momentum with the Union Home Minister Amit Shah himself inviting the Eastern Nagaland People’s Organization (ENPO) to North Block, Delhi to discuss the latter’s bid to bifurcate Nagaland, it is now safe to conclude that the Government of India has taken cognizance of the situation. The Union Government in all its wisdom will hopefully deliver what is best for all concerned. However, in the mix of the whole issue, a pertinent question that arises is – what does Mokokchung have to gain or lose? The demand for Frontier Nagaland state, to be created by bifurcating Nagaland state, is based on the premise of freeing eastern Nagaland districts from alleged decades of neglect. One of the leaders of ENPO as reported by a national news outlet on Monday stated that “the Centre has given a lot of money but it is only for Kohima, Dimapur and Mokokchung districts” and that there is “total discrimination against eastern Nagaland region for the past 60 years.” Here, the fact that the eastern Nagaland districts are represented by 20 legislators in the house of 60 is not taken into consideration and it appears that the role of the 20 MLAs from the region is seen as playing second fiddle, and, therefore, is not given importance or is dismissed as irrelevant.

This brings us to the question of Mokokchung. The fact that Mokokchung has 10 assembly constituency seats, which is the highest number of assembly constituencies to a district, is seen as proof that Mokokchung has been enjoying undue privilege by denying others their due share. The general perception is that Mokokchung, along with Kohima and Dimapur, is where the bulk of development meant for Nagaland is concentrated. However, a look at the ground reality tells a very different tale. We have villages in the interior areas of the district where transport and communication is as bad as in any other underdeveloped area of Nagaland. There are villages that have never ever had a black-topped road, where there is no uninterrupted power supply. Even the district headquarters lack the most basic of amenities like regular water supply or good roads. There is not a single institute or establishment that is of national or regional repute in Mokokchung. Our educational institutions, especially those run by the government are below par. Except for Fazl Ali College, which was established before statehood, there is not a single institute of higher education worth the name in Mokokchung. Our healthcare services, sanitation, sports infrastructure, roads, and every other thing is far below what we actually deserve. Our youths are being denied the opportunities to realize their full potentials and their wings are being clipped even before they take off, their dreams curtailed.

Viewed in this perspective, it is now time for the people of Mokokchung to undertake a soul searching voyage and ask some real questions. We have none to blame but ourselves for the situation we are in today. We are several decades behind Kohima and Dimapur in terms of development and progress, yet we are seen as enjoying undue privilege. While we are being perceived as enjoying undue privilege at the expense of others, we know we are languishing at the bottom of the development pyramid. How then is that so? Could it be that a privileged few are to be held responsible for making the whole of Mokokchung bear the brunt? Whatever be the case, it all points to one direction – that, Mokokchung is losing relevance in the larger scheme of things. It’s a shame that we are neither here nor there.