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'Defection is a political vice'
radhakrishna : Hello, Mr Koijam. Don't you think all of
you politicians in the Northeast have lost all credibility? Especially those of
you from Manipur, who have made such a spectacle, a sorry spectacle of
legislative democracy. Don't you people have any shame? The way you guys defect
from party to party would even put the original Aya Ram Gaya Ram from Haryana to
shame.! Radbhabinod Koijam : Hello, I am here. I would like to putforward my view point first. In Manipur beyond territorial integrity we have to work for emotional integtirity among different communities in the state. Manipur is an old princely state having a history of more than 2000 years. During this period the people of Manipur-Nagas, Kukis, Meities, Muslims and other communities have lived together with trust and love and affinity. This old bond of trust, love and affinity should not be broken by temporal considerations. It is for all the communities to safe guard the territorial integrity of Manipur but this should not be at the cost of our old bond. concerned : I am not a naga, nor a meitei, how can u say that we can live in peace when the manipur politics is overtly lop-sided? Radbhabinod Koijam : I am not sure of what you mean by politics is lop-sided in Manipur. If you are meaning that in a house of 60 Meities have 40 MLA's and tribals (Nagas, Kukis, Zomisand others)have 20, it is because in a population of 23.88 lakhs Meities are about 15 lakhs. And the tribals are about 7 lakhs and Muslims are about 1.6 lakhs. The number of MLA's are proportionate to the population under the Indian system of democracy. So there is no lop-sidedness. Another aspect you may like to know about Manipur is in its history of last 30 years of Statehood two Tangkhul Nagas were chief ministers of Manipur for 14 years. And a Muslim chief was minister for one year and eight months and Meities were chief ministers(six of them) for hardly eleven years. About three and half years the state was under president's rule. Even though the tribals and Muslims who are in minority in population were chief ministers for longer periods then all the Meities chief ministers taken togather this cannot be called lop-si kkumar : Dont u think its right that President's rule has been imposed Radbhabinod Koijam : While we talk about the president rule there are two types of situations (a) Assembly under animated suspension(b) dissolution of the assembly. You are asking about the second one I suppose. The first one has been approved by both the houses of parliament. Manipur assembly has about 3years and 9 months to go before the expiry of its present term. I do not think dissolution would be a correct step after sometime or period, representative government should be allowed to come back otherwise if the house is dissolved now and elections held there is likelyhood of many 'undesirable elements' coming into the house. arocks : American study has warned that the sir, what do u have to say on the "american study" that concludes Northeast having the potential to become India's next Kashmir? Radbhabinod Koijam : I am not aware of what study are you talking about. But it is certainly correct that North East is very sensitive, strategic for national integrity but unfortunately the national leadership is not very well aware of or is not very well interested to understand the ground realities in the region. I would say that North East has more potential of danger than Kashmir. In Kashmir we are dealing only with Pakistan but in the North East we shall be dealing with China via Myanmar. mike : Koijam you politicians are so damn perverted that you will sell your mom if that gives you a political advantage ... what do you say about that? Radbhabinod Koijam : You are completely incorrect. Jeremy : Why do the meiteis oppose the ceasefire when a "ceasefire "stands for peace? Radbhabinod Koijam : Manipuris do not oppose ceasefire. But they oppose the territorial extension of the ceasefire with NSCN(IM) because of the claim of the outfit for greater Nagalim having an area of 1.20 lakh square kilometers. With a population of 35 lakhs when present Nagaland state has an area of 16,579 sq.kilometers with a population of about 16 lakh only. radhakrishna : why is there so much antagonism among the various peoples of the northeast? it's not just that most of them hate india, they also hate their neighbours. can't you see that such kind of antagonism can never be conducive for peace in the region? Radbhabinod Koijam : I do not think that the people of the North East hate Indians or their neighbours. They are trying to be understood by the people of India. nagalim : NSCN is very powerful. BUt they were not contacted or consulted about the cancellation of the "without territorial limits" in the ceasefire agreement. DOnt you think Mr. koijam, that the GOvernment has done a serious mistake to anger the NSCN ? At the cost of so many innocent people in Manipur? Radbhabinod Koijam : It has been said here that the government of India had discussions with the leadership of the NSCN(IM) in Amsterdum through its interlocutor K Padmanabhaiah and some agreement was reached as regards the review of the June 14 agreement. If the leadership of the NSCN(IM) had not been consulted by the government of India it would be another grave mistake and misfortune. sunil : mr. koijam in your view what is to be done to pacify the manipuri people Radbhabinod Koijam : Manipuris are today agitated over the issue of territorial integrity of their state. They are not against any community or state. To pacify them it would be necessary to give an assurance of their territorial integrity. Verbal assurances would not be sufficient. Constitutional safe guards is the demand. satya : , Sir,What r the reasons u believe that keeps NE states lagging behind the other states, pl answer Radbhabinod Koijam : For development of the region people of the area themselves have to take responsibility and initiative. It is understood that the region is poor and backward and extra efforts would be necessary to bring it at par with the rest of the country. The crux of the problem is the understanding of the leadership at the Centre and the willingness of the people to undertake responsibility with sacrifice of their personal interests. Bibhu : Do you think that BJP betrayed you ? Radbhabinod Koijam : It is not a question of my thinking. It was BJP which split alliance partners to increase its number and thereafter topple my government. nagalim : Sir, what is your view on what remedy of peace should be taken for the whole situation? Radbhabinod Koijam : Indian govenment should initiate dialogue with the underground outfits operating in the North East for a permanent and wholesome peace. Talking to only on group may not achieve this. The people of the region as well as government of India should not try to encourage ethnicity but should work for social/communal harmony to construct the bridge of understanding, trust and love and affection. Radbhabinod Koijam : Thanks for asking questions. Please help in developing the social harmony and understanding in the North East at this critical juncture.
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