Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
A slice of solutions
|
“Frontier in Flames” puts the problems of the North-eastern States in the right perspective
|
It is common to hear many from the North East venting out their discontent at Government’s apathy to the region, almost to the extent of asking whether they really belong to India. Now “Frontier in Flames”, a recently published b
ook on the region, features as many as 11 commentators on the strategic area quizzing the administration on negligent behaviour vis-À-vis the security aspect. Jaideep Saikia, an expert on the North East, who edited the book, along with some of the contributors, including Lt. Gen (Retd.) B.K. Bopanna, columnist B.G. Verghese, Air Marshall P.K. Barbora, Lt. Gen. H.S. Lidder, N.C. Padhi and Satish Chandra, took part in the launch event at New Delhi’s India Habitat Centre with a spirited discussion on the region.
Starting the deliberations, Bopanna said, “Each writer has given a perspective of his own. Positive criticism is productive. The Government should take notice of the issues involved. Articles and books like this should keep on coming so that the views of the people who matter can be taken into consideration.”
Talking about the oft-mentioned allegation of Government negligence, Barbora argued, “After independence till date, I am the only Air-Marshall from the North East. I personally feel the North East is on the periphery of the policy makers. Nationalistic feelings have always existed in the hearts of the north-eastern people, but now it’s deteriorating because of the constant lack of importance given to the area.” He questioned whether the people who make policies have any understanding of the country’s north-eastern region. “ “Every state in the North East has an individuality of its own. The Government can’t apply the same yardstick to the whole of the North East. The inadequate political will to resolve their issues has made people feel that they don’t want to be identified with the mainland.”
Centre’s role
Lidder pointed out, “While editing the book, Jaideep had his mind and heart in the right place. This book is a service to the less informed people. It suggests that the Centre has a very important role to play. It needs to be an honest broker. The book covers concerns like competing faith, culture, interest of the neighbours, ambitions in the minds of people, subversion of the constitution, and so on. It takes us a notch closer to the proper resolutions.”
After a heated debate, Verghese, though, provided an optimistic view. “Now the resolutions are heading on. There is no military solution to such crisis. The most important point is how we deal with the alienation and emotional cessation of the people. I am worried because the important variables of security and development are not interlinked, rather they are perceived separately. The focus on geo-strategic facts is also missing. It’s not just the matter of boundaries, but the borders as well. The reason why some people still don’t feel a part of the country is that they keep on looking at the past instead of anticipating a constructive future. We might not have a common past but can have the same bright future.”
Finally, Saikia outlined some points from the book’s introduction, , “Quest for the Proximate Frontier”. He then commented, “It took great efforts to collect these write-ups. I have dedicated this book to an officer, Apurba Kumar Bordoloi.” The officer of 15 Rajputana Rifles, he said, had “productive ideas that can result in peace in the disturbed region.”
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
|
