‘North East’ enigma

 North East Students Organisation (NESO) has issued a long list of demands to the union home minister Rajnath Singh to be acted upon( implemented) with the rider that the organisation comprising of apex student organisations of the region, would be compelled to agitate strongly. The NESO in its memorandum listed the demands for– a relevant education policy for the region; repeal of Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act 1958; inviting and holding dialogue with various armed groups to resolve demands of various armed groups in the region and curbing infiltration of illegal immigrants through a comprehensive policy; implementation of National Register of Citizens (NRC) and opposition to the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 and long term visa. The other demand included safeguarding the admissions and recruitments of people from the region to various central universities and institutions where they are set up so that the people are not marginalised and discriminated against. The eight states comprising the Northeast is populated by nearly 40 million inhabitants who vary in language, race, tribe, caste, religion, and regional heritage. The region has nearly 200 communities of which not less than one hundred being tribes. One of the pressing issues that have been raised for many decades has been on the issue of immigrants from Bangladesh. Both the issue of illegal immigration or influx as well as NRC require a long term involvement. The government of India has to tackle this issue with a clear headed purpose and ensure that politics does not condemn the people of the region. If the Congress was accused allegedly of vote bank politics supposedly that incorporates illegal Bangladeshi Muslim immigrants; the BJP too has been accused allegedly of doing the same with Illegal Bangladeshi Hindu immigrants also for the same electoral purpose. Removal of ASFPA is being heard only after the late 70s when it was enforced in other north eastern states. Nagaland bore the brunt since 1958 but no one heard or cared about the inhuman sufferings of Nagas of erstwhile Naga Hills and Tuensang Frontier Division. Today, the affected are crying hoarse and rightly so against ASFPA. The political problems as defined over the various armed movements can be blamed on the centre’s policy of viewing these as law and order problem and which has only damaged the peaceful environment and delayed the process of creating a conducive climate towards eventual negotiations. The NRC issue is particularly very crucial to Assam and it would be worthwhile to be more thoughtful in asking that the same be applied on all states. Therefore, both the NRC issue as well as the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 are on severe test in Assam. If the two issues are tackled effectively, then it will also impact the other states. The other demand to ensure and guarantee that people from the north east who have been employed at various central institutes where these have been set up in the region is quite important. It would also be worthwhile to seek proportional representation in jobs for youths of the region in all central government undertakings and not let the entire quota be swallowed by youths from the state where the particular industry of central institute has been established. As commented in this column in the past, it does little credit to the polity if students are compelled to come out and deal with every issue involving governance. Also the very concept of ‘north east’ only contributes to aberration of central policy and which needs to be done away with.