Regionalism and North East

 Many issues like poverty, under-development, identity, extremism, insurgency etc. plague the North East (NE) region. However,these issue have paved way for following three issues.

1. Demands for autonomy:

• At independence entire region except Manipur and Tripura comprised State of Assam. Demands for political autonomy arose when non-Assamese felt that Assam government was imposing Assamese language on them.

• Even post completion of reorganisation of NE in 1972, demands for autonomy didn’t end. In Assam, communities like Bodos, Karbis and Dimasas demanded separate States.

• Karbis and Dimasas have been granted autonomy under District Councils while Bodos were granted Autonomous Council within constitutional provisions.

2. Secessionist movements:

• Mizoram: After independence a movement for secession in Mizo hills gained popular support. Two decades of insurgency led by Mizo National Front under the leadership of Laldenga and backed by Pakistan ended after a peace agreement in 1986.

• Nagaland: Led by Phizo, a section of Nagas declared independence from India in 1951. After a period of violent insurgency a section of Nagas signed an agreement with government of India but this was not acceptable to other rebels. The problem in Nagaland still continues.

• Assam: The United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) is a separatist outfit operating in Assam. It seeks to establish a sovereign Assam with an armed struggle. The government of India banned the organisation in 1990 citing it as a terrorist organisation.

3. Movements against outsiders:

• Large scale migration into north-east gave rise to a special kind of problem that pitted ‘local’ communities against people who were seen as ‘outsiders’ or migrants.

• These latecomers are seen as encroachers on scarce resources.

There is need to win the heart and mind of North east people and sympathise with their causes. This will ensure national integration

By: ABHISHEK KUMAR GARG