A New Philosophy for North East India

Dr Topi Basar, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Law, Delhi University.

North East India has got a new found identity now. It comes to the national limelight for two extreme reasons or circumstances. First, in the situation of grave victimization as a result of race or hate crimes and on the other spectrum for positive contributions made to the Country by sports persons like Mary Kom, Baichung Bhutia, Sarita Devi etc. When China gives stapled visas to people of Arunachal Pradesh and makes open claims on it. Not to forget that it is also noted and acknowledged for its natural beauty and cultural diversity as a mystical land of tribal in the popular sense.  Whenever there is any crime or atrocities against people from north east in Capital and NCR region, suddenly all the three pillars of democracy will demonstrate its deepest concern and sensitivity for the NE people. Only to be forgotten after few days until a new incident occurs which may be worse than earlier ones and the same cycle goes on and on.

The problems faced by the NE people in Delhi, NCR or other parts of India are not new. It has been always there ever since large number of students and unemployed youths migrated from their states for better educational prospects and career opportunities. But unlike the situation now, in the last decade nobody really cared or bothered. People silently suffered and went about doing their work and ones who could not cope left with full of bitterness and never to come back. The moot question is ‘what is the core issues involved?’ Identification of the root causes of the problem is necessary; quick fix formula is not a permanent solution. We need to look at the issue holistically by historically traversing past and present factors responsible for the present predicament. There is a deep seated isolation amongst the people of NE which breeds sense of insecurity and emotional disconnect with the outsiders. Where has this sense of isolation come from? Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru’s foreword in Verrier Elwin’s book, ‘a philosophy for NEFA’ meant as a bible book for officials and administrators from mainland India to administer the tribal areas with a basic philosophy expressed in the words of Nehru, “People should develop along the lines of their own genius and we should avoid imposing anything on them. We should try to encourage in every way their own traditional arts and culture. I am not at all sure which is the better way of living, the tribal or own. In some respects I am quite certain theirs is better. Therefore, it is grossly presumptuous on our part to approach them with an air of superiority, to tell them how to behave or what to do and what not to do. There is no point in trying to make of them a second-rate copy of ourselves.” Nehru also realized that they could not be left cut off from the world as they were. Political and economic forces impinged upon them and it was not possible or desirable to isolate them. Equally undesirable, it seemed to him, was to allow these forces to function freely and upset their whole life and culture, which had so much of good in them.

This became the dominant ideology for NEFA (North East Frontier Agency) in post-independence era and got constitutionalized in the form of VIth Schedules to the Constitution. In fact the seed of isolationist policy was already sown by the British much before the independence which was continued by the free India. It is interesting to read the views of the Constituent Assembly Committee members debates on desirability or otherwise of the VIth Schedules. It mainly revolves around how to integrate the tribal people with mainstream culture slowly and gradually. Many of the prejudices and biases manifest in some of the views of the members are still prevalent today although in different form. Thus, today’s stereotyping of people of that region is as old as our civilization itself. Whether such isolationist policy has been beneficial or not is much debatable. It definitely led to long term cultural, social, geographical and psychological isolation from mainland India for long only interrupted with the sudden spurt of development and better transport and communication. The modern development and change in policy suddenly disrupted the long isolation somewhat in an unsustainable way. The lack of meaningful economic development, corruption and over reliance on Centre to the extent of being totally crippled without central assistance in all walks of life have further accentuated the problem. Therefore, the problem is not only of law and order and having a stringent anti-racial law only (though strongly recommended) but it is much more complex and deeper. The people and government of north east must develop a strong sense of self dependence and self-reliance both in intent and actions. Mantra is to truly realize our own geniuses and potentials and don’t get bogged down by the social constructs of others. It is time to reinvent our own notions of ourselves and fight all types of discriminations and injustices in a positive and beneficial way without being overly sentimental. Even the north east states as a  whole need to reflect upon the situation of victimization, vulnerability of youths, deprivation of rights and other disabilities suffered by its people. And ponder where they have gone wrong. The Central Government should also think of newer policies to make north east states self-reliant and economically stronger. The policy of appeasement based on notion of territorial sovereignty must give way to more genuine and inclusive policies and North East States must come out of long comfort zone of Central dependence and chart out its own path of development and realize its own unique potential and geniuses.

                                                   Author may be contacted at topibasar@gmail.com