Dear Naga People,
Today, May 16, 2020 happens to be the 70th Naga Plebiscite Day, most glorious.
In commemoration of this specially momentous day, I hereby send warmest greetings and prayers for enlightenment to all my fellow Nagas and offer my deepest gratitude to God Almighty.
The auspicious occasion calls for another solemn retrospection of our eternally splendid history divine.
It has been the most undeniable of facts that Nagas were inspired to declare our Independent status on August 14, 1947, one full day ahead of India! However, that hadn’t been one singular act left orphaned much by far. In actual historical fact; in order to further buttress and fortify the former Deed, our leaders called for a voluntary plebiscite and invited the general populace to feel free to participate in the event on May 16, 1951. This was done primarily to “once and for all times” silence most decisively, all the multiple varied atrocious claims and arguments perpetually emanating from the enemy. Also, it had been aimed at and profoundly achieved involvement of the people’s collective participation and responsibility bearing.
As per schedule and under the aegis and patronage of the Naga National Council leadership, the historic Naga Plebiscite was held for and by the Naga people on May 16, 1951. The people came forth most voluntarily and pledged with thumb printing; for full Naga Sovereignty to the astronomical level of 99.09%. This figure far exceeded even the wildest expectations of the Naga leadership and left them virtually spellbound. In this wondrous way, the people’s mandate was conferred on the NNC most convincingly. God’s unfailing Hand could most evidently be observed to be actively guiding each and every single step of the Naga National Movement for freedom and total Independence; if one only cares to carefully peruse and honestly ponder.
Then came the imposition of the 1952 Indian General Election serving the Litmus test as to whether our August 14, 1947 Independence declaration and May 16, 1951 Plebiscite exercises were for real or otherwise.
The most irrefutable of fact is that Nagas were never Indians and would never be so, God forbid; and that Nagas are absolutely different from her and would ever remain so, God being our Adjudicator! To this righteous end the Naga leadership had all the while been most tirelessly endeavouring for our Independent Sovereign State in broad-day light most overtly; but wonder of wonders the Indian leadership; perhaps divinely beguiled, allowed and permitted the free and fair shaping of Naga Destiny to the tipping point of no return, most singularly unhindered! The Government of India did not take the Naga Aspiration seriously enough then (now?) and most casually took them to be like any ordinary Indian and tried imposing her election on the Nagas. But to her utter horror and consternation, she was presented with the most rude awakening; since the Nagas being who they always had been, had absolutely nothing to do with the meddling election; and not even a single vote was cast in its totality, the ballot boxes having been sent back eerily empty.
Could there be anything more absolute, be it mathematical and/or demographical than this equation to prove that the Nagas are never Indians – past, present and future? If this evidence is deemed not strong enough, Heaven knows whatever else will? This, behold, is the most profound of victories the Nagas have won over India morally, democratically and in every other possible consideration, for that matter.
What did India has to say next then? The reaction would shock and astound everyone alike; well perhaps except the refractory lot (just like then). On suffering such a devastating defeat; instead of accepting the most obvious in all humility and grace, she chose to harden her heart (familiar?) as all irrational savages do, telling the civilised world quite a lot of a sorry tale about her real self.
Hereupon, the Government of India decided to pursue the barbaric path of totally and deliberately ignoring the democratic rights of the Nagas in the most absolute. Why and how so perniciously so? World democracy says “all men are born equal” but ‘Hindu Indian democracy’ says that some are born high and some low according to the caste (class) system she not only harbours but also cherish most religiously too.
They regarded people like the Nagas as outcasts. They treated them with third class citizenship intent, called them “schedule tribe” or backward people incapable of looking after themselves and considered them to be hopelessly dependent on Government of India.
The Holy Bible contains the statement to the effect that even evil men do not give “a stone” when bread is asked for, nor “a snake” when fish is prayed for (Matt 7:9-11); the principle being only humane and logical – universally accepted.
But the Government of India behaved most contradictorily; sinistrality personified. When the Nagas dared to speak out her rights (bread) – she waged war and paid her with bullets – plenty of them. When the Nagas expressed her desire to be integrated under one umbrella and live in peaceful coexistence (fish) – Government of India resorted to drive them asunder, hunting them down like wild beasts and game birds, permanently displacing them most maliciously. She even went to the nefarious extent of forming unholy alliance with our unwitting neighbours (read Myanmar etc.) compelling them to refuse us the World-acclaimed legendary eastern Asian, age-old hospitality and shelter; and in actual fact, black-mailed them to even turn against us. Where in the World is India trying to drive the Nagas away to?
To the Nagas, India has become the very epitome of the unreasonable “dictator” country and one heartless “terrorist” country – judging by the draconian acts and actions having been perpetrated on the puny Nation of Nagaland with utter impunity thus far.
There is hardly any need to repeat that Nagas and India are at war for more than 70 odd years. In this period of time there has been more than 10 Prime Ministers to have come across our right Cause. But each and every single of these honourable personalities had chosen to ignore the Naga Case and kept the Matter “pending” most unjustly. One wonders as to how many more years the same would continue to be denied justice? Another 70 years, perhaps even longer? But there’s no telling what all dramatic changes, diplomatic and/or otherwise, would come our way within this span of time. Can the Government of India, “the champion of the down trodden people”; in her unfathomable wisdom and lofty statesmanship afford to wait and watch most precariously on?
Kindly be informed that as for the Nagas, we would most relentlessly march on and call out most ardently to God the Righteous Adjudicator, till our rightful Sovereignty is finally achieved sooner than later.
Long live Naga People. Victory to Naga People.
Thank you and KUKNALIM
Gen (Retd) Thinoselie M Keyho
President, Naga National Council