Vanlal Manghai Juwali, who hailed from Mizoram, was returning home on the train that was coming from Mumbai and going to Nagaland, they said.

Juwali was standing by the door of the compartment and fell from the running train as she dozed off, said Bhaskar Pradhan, inspector in-charge of GRP at Malda Town.

The incident took place around 1 am between Bhagbanpur rail gate and Sripur rail gate soon after the train left the Malda Town station in Katihar division of the Northeast Frontier Railway, he said.

Her co-passengers stopped the train immediately by pulling the chain, Pradhan said.

Railway police soon reached the spot and found Juwali”s body with grave injury marks, he said, adding that doctors declared her dead when taken to the Samsi Railway Hospital.

The body was then sent to the Malda Medical College and Hospital for postmortem.

Juwali boarded the train in Pune where she worked at a private company, said Samsi”s station manager Bimalendu Roy.

She was returning home to Mizoram after being stuck in Pune for over two months due to the lockdown, he said.

Her family has been informed, he added.

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2014 was a game-changer for the country’s political landscape in many ways. BJP’s convincing win proved that the country has shed its Congress-centric governance and bureaucratic system. More importantly, it was the rise of Narendra Modi’s development-centric politics that sought to provide an alternative to the change-starved youngest democracy of the world.

The rise of Narendra Modi as the solution for India’s socio-economic problems also changed the political narrative of the NorthEast region, which traditionally shares very little of mainstream India’s political concerns or narrative. Since independence, politics in this region has mostly found itself aligning to the powers in Delhi. Very few had anticipated such an overwhelming response to Modi wave given to his affiliation with BJP. Today, the BJP is in power or coalition with almost every state, except for Mizoram.

However, the shift of power, one must remember, is not an ideological shift but a convenient arrangement for a promising future. And true to the promises of Modi’s development agenda, more people today have access to gas connections, electricity, better roads, than ever before. However, the recent protests against the government on the controversial CAB Bill, NRC issue of Assam, ILPs, and the reaction of the government against political dissent raises several questions as to what is it that the NorthEast wants?

Are the problems of Northeast just limited to economic concerns? Or is there something more than the economic aspect? Protests here, unlike the rest of the country, are very intense and sees wide participation from every section of the society. What is it that Delhi doesn’t understand about Northeast?

The Delhi Dilemma: Trivializing Local Issues over National Interest

Historically, the Northeast had never been emotionally integrated with the larger Indian union, and the region passed onto India’s hand because the British didn’t know anything else to do. By the time, the Japanese fighters crossed into India through the North-east, the region has already established itself as a strategic point for India’s security. It was that hot piece of bread the new Indian Union put in its mouth, but couldn’t chew because of the heat, nor could it spit out.

The new Indian bureaucracy, which simply took over the reins from the British didn’t have much idea about the region or its complex political dynamics. All decisions were made in Delhi and simply executed through the army in the region, most of the time without any understanding of the ground situation. Any political dissent was labelled an act of separatism and the army had a free hand to deal with dissent, both social and political.

The high-handedness of Indian bureaucracy and Delhi’s myopic views about the region pushed the region to a corner from where the only option to fight back was retaliation against India (symbolized by the army). Things have definitely changed over the past few decades, but the bureaucracy is still hung-over Delhi, for whom local concerns do not matter much in the wake of national priorities or interest.

Policy makers, seating in Delhi think that the problems of the North-east is purely economic. They are convinced that with development and economic progress, problems facing the region will simply vanish into thin air. Nothing can be further from the truth that such naivety. For the policymakers seating in Delhi, it is only the beautiful landscape, cultural uniqueness, and the hospitality of the people that stands out. No wonders, tourism is the most heavily promoted industry from the region and all ideas of economic prosperity woven around tourism.

Land and Belongingness: The Crux of the Issue

‘Land Rights’ and ‘Territorial Jurisdiction’ are perhaps the most important keywords that explain the underlying political current of the region. Be it the insurgency problems, ILP issue, CAB, NRC, anti-immigrant, citizenship, and every other US v/s THEM issue is a by-product of the land-rights related issues.

• Manipur: With over 40 different armed groups, the ‘fight for independence from occupation’ or to defend one’s community from external threats is a strongly territorial phenomenon. To this day, the insurgent groups are a huge stakeholder in the social, economic, and politics of everyday life in Manipur. The state holds the record for the longest highway blockade when the Naga and Meitei communities had their disagreements with regards to the territorial jurisdictions of each. The Nagas in Manipur were also engaged in a bloody civil war against the Kuki community during the 1990s because one community alleged the other one of encroaching upon their ancestral land. With three major stakeholders claiming territorial rights over the tiny state, the ‘land’ is an integral part of the ethnic identity and no amount of free gas connections, development projects, and free aids will stand in comparison when it is the question of the land.
• Nagaland: The Naga issue began with the idea that the ‘Naga people’ are different from India and have a unique history and culture. The ongoing Peace Process is part of Nagaland’s everyday socio-political narrative. Beginning with the bloody civil war waged by the NSCN and other Naga armed groups against India in the 1960s, the Naga freedom movement has been the torchbearer of all armed conflict in the region. Most other secessionist movements in the region owe their allegiance – ideologically, logistically, and arms supply. The effect of the movement is directly felt in the Naga-inhabited regions including Assam, Manipur, Arunachal, and even in Myanmar territories. Today there is peace in the Naga areas, only for the hope that the NSCN and Government of India are approaching a peaceful resolution to the long pending issue. Any threat to the peace process threatens to disturb the peace, not just in the Nagaland but across the Northeast region.
• Mizoram: The Mizo National Front in the 1960s, waged one of the bloodiest civil wars against India and seeking its own independence. The Indian Airforce carried out bombing across Mizoram to quell the uprising. While the Mizos dropped came forward for peace and reconciliation after the bombing, it went into a reclusive state trying to cope with the post-traumatic stress. In its isolation, it has emerged as one of the most forward thinking and peaceful state in India. However, the issue of land rights, fear against outsiders, and cultural issues have become ingrained in the psyche of the people. Mizoram is one place that doesn’t shy away from bringing up the secession topic as we recently witnessed in the protest against CAB Bill. Brus and Chakma refugee issues are already a huge political issue here.
• Tripura: Tripura is often cited as an example of what happens when migration is unchecked. The indigenous people, having outnumbered by migrant population, are today seeking greater autonomy and self-rule calling for statehood for the indigenous tribes.
• Arunachal: A border state, Arunachal is heavily militarized and have suffered the wrath of the Chinese during the 1962 invasion. A state with the Inner Line Permit system is implemented since independence, Arunachal has strict rules prohibiting any outsiders from purchasing property, applying for jobs, and getting welfare benefits. The government’s decision to grant permanent residence certificates to a few ethnic communities living there for decades had created social unrest, leaving 3 dead and several injured during violent protests.
• Meghalaya and Sikkim: The most popular states among tourists, Meghalaya and Sikkim strictly implement the 6^th schedule act that prevents any outsider to buy property in the state. While Sikkim has its unique history of accession into Indian Union, Meghalaya as the capital of erstwhile Assam State has seen its fair share of influxes, riots, and ethnic problems in the 1980s.
• Assam: As the ‘big brother’ of Northeastern states, what happens in Assam today follows across the region tomorrow. Be it the ‘Bhumiputra Aandolan’ of the 1980s, ULFA’s ‘freedom struggle’, or the citizenship issue, Assam has been the torch-bearer for the region’s political consciousness. Having suffered the onslaught of unchecked migration right from Sylhet referendum to Bangladesh Liberation War, and until this day, people in Assam are very sensitive towards issues of Land Rights, Citizenships, and external Migrations.

The point here is that the individual concerns of each state in the Northeast are paramount when it comes to local politics. The issue gets even more complex with the huge ethnic diversity within every state, village, and district. Yes, the region is lagging behind the rest of the country in terms of development and industrialization. But, at no point in history has the region voted only for development. This is a major reason why national parties do not flourish much in the region and local/regional parties are integral to any government that is formed. 

It is high time that the central government learn to take off its Delhi lenses and look at the region’s problem in isolation, understand the complexities, and do not trivialize their concerns as merely a development or economic issue.

The post Dear Government, All’s Not Well on the Eastern Horizons appeared first on The Darjeeling Chronicle.

The 70th Republic Day celebrations across Mizoram were at low key as the NGO Coordination Committee (NCC) organised demonstrations across the state in protest against the Citizenship Bill.

Only Chief Minister Zoramthanga, some of his cabinet colleagues, a few legislators and top officials were present in the main functions of the Republic Day at the Assam Rifles ground.

According to the police, in other district headquarters, the Deputy Commissioners hoisted the national flags, but there were no officials and people in these events.

The police said placard-carrying protesters demonstrated near the venues where official Republic Day functions were organized.

Despite the Chief Minister and Home Minister Lalchamliana’s repeated requests, the NCC on late Friday reiterated its previous announcement that it would boycott the Republic Day celebrations “to protest the passing of the Bill in the Lok Sabha”.

NCC activists demonstrated near the Assam Rifles ground in the state capital where the Governor unfurled the national flag and addressed a very small gathering.

“In response to the boycott call, the members of the public did not participate in any Republic Day event in the state. However, there were no reports of any untoward incident,” a police officer said on the condition of anonymity.

Earlier, Chief Minister Zoramthanga threatened to sever ties with the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) if the Centre does not withdraw the Bill that seeks to grant citizenship to migrants from six non-Muslim minority groups from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The ruling Mizo National Front party is a constituent of the BJP-led NEDA.

The Mizoram Governor in his address said stringent measures will be in place to protect the state’s borders and execute the Mizoram Village Level Citizen Registration.

Rajasekharan said the government would endeavour to maintain the unity and brotherhood among all Mizo people living within India and across the world.

“All out efforts would be made for combating the drug menace and alcoholism with support from civil society. Necessary measures would be taken to repeal The Mizoram Liquor (Control & Prohibition) Act, 2014.”

He said that improving road connectivity was a major challenge for the government. “The government is committed to leave no stone unturned to improve the quality of internal roads and to ensure better road networks and connectivity with neighbouring states.”

He said that the government would continue to accord priority to develop infrastructure for the development of sports.

[Via: IANS, Pics: PIB]

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Scrub typhus, also known as bush typhus, is a disease caused by a bacteria called Orientia tsutsugamushi and the bacteria is carried and spread by mites, they said.

The officials said that the scrub typhus outbreak began in November 2018.

The Nodal officer of the state Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme, Dr Pachuau Lalmalsawma and a team of experts visited Thenzawl, organised a free clinic for the patients and people suspected of being infected by the bacteria, officials said.

The Thenzawl town is located about 90 km south of Aizawl, the state capital of Mizoram.

Scrub typhus had killed two persons in Thenzawl town in 2018, they said.

The total number of deaths due to the disease in Mizoram have been recorded as 50 with over 2,000 people infected so far since 2012, they added.

In Darjeeling and Sikkim too, over 50 patients have died due to Scrub Typhus, and shoddy health care facilities

Mizoram: Scrub Typhus is treatable, if proper diagnosis is done in time. You can read about it here

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