Debates and discussions on the floor of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly is what everyone who participates in the assembly elections should be following. During the recently held assembly elections, we know how people of all eligible ages and gender participated, in the towns and the villages, of how whole villages supported a ‘consensus candidate’ and how money and other inducements were used. If all of them would follow the debates and discussions in the assembly, of what their representatives are voicing out on their behalf, Nagaland would have seen better governance.
Discussion on the motion of thanks to the governor’s address made on 21 March marked the ongoing budget session of the 14th Nagaland Legislative Assembly on Thursday. The exchange of opinion between the NPF leader Kuzholuzo Neinu and Leader of the House, CM Neiphiu Rio on the Naga political issue was interesting. In fact, the speech made by the two NPF MLAs – although they have extended support to the government – offered a semblance of the role of the opposition in the legislative assembly. The other members who also participated in the discussion – although appreciated – were more like exchange of pleasantries between good old friends. For too long, Nagaland has not had a strong opposition or any opposition at all in the legislative assembly. The address by the two NPF MLAs offered a breath of fresh air, at least for those who follow the goings on in the legislative assembly.
First time MLA and chief whip of the NPF, Achumbemo Kikon’s participation was what one would expect an elected representative to be like. His position on the Naga political issue and how he presented it with clarity and eloquence was something like no other MLA in the Nagaland Legislative Assembly has ever presented most probably. No other Nagaland state politician has or has had the courage to speak on the historical and political rights of the Naga people, one can argue. As stated by Kikon, the Naga political question predates India’s own Independence and it is not for nothing that the Government of India has today come to recognize the ‘uniqueness’ of Naga history. Unfortunately, as Kikon rightly said, the Naga political issue has been reduced to mere semantics – of interpretation of terms like sovereignty, nation, rights and independence. The Naga political issue has become a semantic dispute today, by design or otherwise. Whatever be the case, it indicates that there is no real serious attempt to address and solve the Naga political issue despite the tall claims made by the Indian and Nagaland state political leaders.
The Nagaland Legislative Assembly has on six previous occasions made resolutions on integration of all contiguous Naga inhabited areas. After all, integration is one of the points in the oft cited 16 Point Agreement that gave birth to Nagaland state. With members like Achumbemo Kikon present in the Assembly, it is hoped that we will see more such debates on the floor of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly – including debates on other issues of public interest and governance – in the days to come.