EMN
DIMAPUR, OCTOBER 31
Chief Minister T R Zeliang chaired a meeting today on the imbroglio regarding construction of Rani Gaidinliu Museum-cum-Library which was attended by all the elected legislators from Kohima district as well as by Parliamentary Secretaries Planning, and Arts & Culture, and also by the representatives of the Kohima Village Council and Angami Public Organisation (APO) and departmental officials.
According to a press note from the CMO, APO president pointed out that it has opposed the construction on the ground that Rani Gaidinliu had, between 1960 and 1966, opposed the NNC and killed several functionaries of the NNC, and that she had not contributed anything to the Nagas as a whole.
Parliamentary Secretary for Works & Housing Er Levi commented that one should be very careful when coming out openly with statements that have political undertones such as the NNC because of the simple reason that there is already an Indira Gandhi Stadium in the outskirts of the town name after the late Prime Minister of India during whose times many Naga insurgents were killed by the Government of India.
He was of the view that the past should not be raked up and let bygones be bygones while at the same time, appealing to the APO to review its decision to stop the construction work of the Museum which was almost on the verge of completion.
Minister for Forest & Environment Dr Nicky Kire while opining that the Museum may be used for other purposes too instead of dedicating it for a single person, appealed to the APO to review its decision in the larger interest of the Naga society as a whole.
MLA VikhoYhoshu said there was an option of re-naming the whole project so as to break the impasse between the APO and the Government of Nagaland.
MLA ErKropol was of the opinion that though Kohima is located in the heart of Angami territory, by virtue of being the capital of the State, it belongs to all the tribes of Nagaland. Moreover, since it was decided by the Government of Nagaland to construct the Museum cum Library the matter should rest there and that the work should continue till completion.
Advisor NSMDC Dr Neiphrezo Keditsu urged both the contending parties to find an amicable solution adding that “for every problem there is a solution.”
Parliamentary Secretary Arts & Culture Mr Eshak Konyak declared that Kohima village is the father of all Naga villages and urged the village elders to have a more-inclusive attitude. He said the Museum would be an asset to the Naga people as a whole and urged the APO to review its stand.
Minister for Social Welfare Mr Kiyaneilie, in his opening remarks, pointed out that the whole project was funded by the Government of India and that since the preceding Government had decided to take up the work, it would be in the fitness of propriety if the present Government continued with the project.
Planning department pointed out that the earlier plan to erect a statue of Rani Gaidinliu has been shelved since it was of the considered opinion that such a culture is alien to the Nagas and might hurt the sentiments of some sections of the society.
The department of Arts and Culture also pointed out that one of the objectives of the project was to “open a Museum and an exhibition hall with galleries and Dioramas for preservation and display of relics, artifacts and objects of historical importance, portraits, photos and memorabilia of not only Rani Gaidinliu but other leaders also.”
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Nagaland Chief Minister, in his closing remarks, appealed to all concerned to find an amicable solution to the imbroglio saying that the Museum, though named after Rani Gaidinliu, is not only for her and that it is not going to be used for propagating any cult or religious sect.
“It will be managed by the department of Arts & Culture just like the Museum we have at Bayavu. We need not fear that it will be used to promote or propagate any religion that is alien to the Nagas,” he said.
“During the days of my father, everyone in my village was a follower of Heraka and my father was kicked out of the village for deciding to convert to Christianity. We had to leave our ancestral village and live in a Kuki village. But now, over the years my villagers have slowly converted to Christianity and the last Heraka follower was converted to Christianity last June. Now my village is 100% Christian village. And it may also not be wise to dig up the past and say that Heraka militants had killed NNC functionaries because NNC cadres too killed many Heraka militants. Moreover, Heraka followers too have confessed and have converted to Christianity and if we do not forgive and forget the past in the true Christian spirit, it may not go down well with those who have confessed in the name of the Lord and are now strong proponents of Christianity. Phizo is dead, and so is Rani Gaidinliu. They cannot come back to justify their actions. Even we cannot justify the past. Two of my Uncles were killed by the Heraka militants and I have two Aunts who are widows. But who can justify? Let us live and let live.
“Let us also sieve facts from fiction. It is a fact that Rani title was given to Gaidinliu in 1937 by Jawaharlal Nehru himself when she visited her in a British Jail. Neither the Nagas nor the Zeliangrongs gave her the title. Nor did any Naga ask the Government of India to give the Rani the designation of Indian Freedom Fighter which was given by the then Congress Government in 1972. It is a fact that the Rani was born in Luangkao village in Manipur; that the Heraka and the NNC had a conflict between 1960 to 1966 when she surrendered and came overground; her militant followers, about 400 of them, surrended arms and ammunitions and were inducted into the 1st Nagaland Armed Police in 1966; she was given the status of a Minister of State and a Bungalow was allotted to her by the Government of Nagaland; she was given escorts by the Government of Nagaland whenever she travelled to Assam or Manipur; her TA/DA were paid by the State Government whenever she travelled to the mainland; she was given an allowance of Rs Ten Thousand every month by the Government of Nagaland till her death in February 1993…” the Chief Minister pointed out.
“I wish a compromise can be worked out in a reasonable manner,” he said. “We are still keeping room for discussion and expect that the APO too would soften its stand in due course of time,” he added and appealed to the APO to revise its stand on the matter.
Later in the evening, the Chief Minister along with the Minister Roads & Bridges, Mr Vikheho Swu, visited the construction site of the Shanuoru temporary bridge which had to be demolished during the monsoons due to blockage of the culverts. The temporary culvert is being constructed by the department itself at the cost of Rs Two Crore and is expected to be ready by the end of November this year. The Urban Development department and the State Disaster Management Agency had each contributed Rs 1 crore each and works are going on in on a war footing so as to ameliorate the problems of office goers who now have to either take the Don Bosco School diversion or the Meriema-Secretariat route.
