India’s other front

THE series of attacks that rocked India’s North East on a day (October 2) when the country ceremoniously pays tributes to Gandhi, the eternal pacifist, should be a wake-up call to New Delhi.

Published: Mon 4 Oct 2004, 9:11 AM

Last updated: Thu 2 Apr 2015, 1:45 AM

The North East, a complex patchwork of myriad tribes, cultures and religions, continues to be India’s forgotten, troubled region. While the world’s attention is riveted on the country’s Northern front — Jammu and Kashmir — the North East seldom gets the attention it deserves.

The separatist problem in this part of the world is, in fact, older than that of Kashmir. Some of the separatist demands were thought to have been addressed in the reorganisation of states under Prime Minister Nehru. Small regions were absorbed into bigger states like Assam. However, the reorganisation of states has evidently failed to address the grievances of the people in the region. The sensitive landmass neighbouring China, Bangladesh and Myanmar should have received greater attention of New Delhi. But, for one, it is too far for the Hindi heartland-centric politicians in Delhi. For two, unlike such large cow-belt states as Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh and enterprising South, the North East does not seem to make much of a difference in the electoral scheme of things of Indian politician. As a result, the people in North East suffer and rightly feel abandoned and neglected. The numerous separatist outfits play on the grievances of the people. Hence, the frequent outbursts of violence.

However, Saturday’s serial blasts that killed over 51 people were unprecedented. The region did not witness such violence during the long struggle of Naga groups in the past 58 years. Delhi cannot ignore the North East any longer. The Saturday violence points to dangerous levels of popular unrest. The Indian government must do more to speed up the development in the region. Blaming neighbours for the unrest cannot address the issue. Dialogue with separatist groups will.