‘In post-colonial era, several economically unviable States were created’

Nagaland Governor R.N. Ravi has said that interdependence of ethnic communities in the Northeast was disrupted by the deliberate policies of the British administration and several economically-unviable States were created to satisfy and appease the forces asserting mutual differences and exclusivity.

Mr. Ravi made the remarks at the 68th plenary session of the North Eastern Council (NEC) in Guwahati on Sunday. Home Minister Amit Shah chaired the meeting that was attended by the Governors, Chief Ministers and officials of the eight northeastern States.

Mr. Ravi, who is also spearheading the Naga peace talks, said that the northeast India, all through the centuries, has been a region of geo-cultural and geo-economic unity and celebrated its rich cultural diversity through peaceful coexistence of innumerable ethnic communities.

“The vibrant social interactions and rich economic interdependence of the ethnic communities including those among the hills and the plains were disrupted by the deliberate policies of the British administration. Neighbours became strangers, mutually suspicious of each other. The post-colonial period witnessed aggressive ethnic assertions. More and more communities began to demand exclusive homeland for themselves. The post-colonial northeast witnessed multiple political fragmentation of the regions. The traditional forces of unity were weakened. Several economically unviable States were created to satisfy and appease the forces asserting mutual differences and exclusivity,” Mr. Ravi said.

Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga said that the government needed to act “Northeast” before acting “East” as the “Look East” policy has been in existence for more than two decades but has had no impact on the region’s economy.

“lf ‘Act East’ policy is to be made into reality, State governments in the northeast should be sufficiently involved both at the level of policy formulation and implementation. Mizoram has a long international boundary with Myanmar and Bangladesh. The people of the state have relationship with the people across the border in formal and informal forms... These practices need to be institutionalised for socio-economic upliftment of the local population,” Mr. Zoramthanga said.

Nagaland CM Neiphiu Rio said advanced countries of the world including India are moving towards 5G connectivity while many of the northeastern states, particularly Nagaland, struggle to access even basic Internet connectivity.

He added that without high speed Internet facilities, the State struggles to implement Direct Benefits Transfer schemes. “The First Pilot National Information Infrastructure (N11) project which provides high speed Internet bandwidth through wireless medium was successfully implemented in Penn district in 2016,” Mr. Rio said.