“The old comes back in new guise”, said an aplomb Mrs. Gandhi while addressing the summit of the Non-Aligned Nations in the African City of Lusaka in October 1970. She was speaking in reference to ‘neo-colonialism’ perpetrated by the West on the Underdeveloped African and Asian countries. The mid-19th Century although witnessed the emergence of a large number of independent countries who were earlier under the control of the Imperial British Empire found themselves under the ambit of a new master. Pakistan, for instance, was willy-nilly part of the United States-led NATO through the signing of CENTO and SEATO. Imperialism although ceased to exist in theory yet it came back afresh in the form of ‘neo-colonialism’.
The same is being replicated here in our State by our ‘so-called leaders’. For the past few weeks, our State was caught in a vortex of Political turmoil. The Tribal Bodies had advocated for the resignation of T R Zeliang as Chief Minister after he reneged the agreement made by the troika of the State Government, the JCC, and the NBCC. The Chief Minister was himself part of the meeting yet he failed to take his Cabinet into confidence to support his decision. His Cabinet would later desert him for no fault of his which we shall see later.
The Tribal Bodies had earlier annunciated for the resignation of CM TR Zeliang along with Home Minister Y.Patton, NPF Party President Dr. Shurhozelie, Commissioner of Police Dimapur and the erring Police personnel’s who fired indiscriminately at the protestors. This was followed by the burning of effigies of the above-mentioned people.It is rather amusing that the brain behind all these hullabaloos has been proposed to be the ‘Head’ of the State yet again by our ‘so-called leaders’ who had earlier flocked to Kazirangain Assam to support the ‘Prodigal Son’.
In the midst of all these commotions and sensing that this time the People’s Movement cannot be suppressed by ‘Water Cannon’ or ‘Tear Gas’ or through ‘Lathi Charge’, the legislatorsstarted Politicking clandestinely. The defiant Zeliang who had earlier boasted of the support of his 42 legislators found himself in a state of chagrin when the legislators withdrew their support in favor of Dr. Shurhozelie.The legislators made sure that they played their card well lest they miss the chance of getting plump portfolio after the change of guard.
It is understandably clear that the decision taken by Zeliang was not his own alone. If fact it was and had always been a collective decision. This is clearly reflected in his letter addressed to the NTAC Convenor K T Vilie dated February 16,2017 wherein he stated quote verbatim “You will appreciate that all decisions taken so far have been taken collectively and likewise all future decisions will also have to be taken collectively”. Then, again in his farewell speech which seemed poignant, Zeliang addressed Dr. Shurhozelie as a “fatherly figure” and the “Backbone of the Government”. This statement of TR Zeliangis quite apt as everyone knows who was holding whichposition in the previous Government. Mr. Zeliang should be conferred with another award for his honesty.
No doubt, the People’s voice is supreme and has eventually triumphed albeit with great sacrifice but little does it make difference when two people swapped their chair to salvage the party from being asunder with little or no regard for the voice of the masses as has always been.
Perhaps it is time for us to wake up from our slumber and face the reality lest we are tricked again with the same old tricks.
X Chophika Sumi
Bank Colony, Dimapur
