19 minute read
Kohima Longsa Okho
from August 28, 2020
Paralysed by fear
It was not entirely unexpected that the principle of what is proposed is also opposed when academics turned into politics over the issue of holding National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test(NEET) and Joint Entrance Exam(JEE). Generally, the JEE (Mains) exams for engineering aspirants are conducted in April while NEET is conducted for medical aspirants in May. These exams have already been deferred twice in the wake of the novel coronavirus pandemic. JEE-Main 2020 was originally supposed to be held from April 7-11, but postponed to July 18- 23, NEET-UG was originally scheduled for May 3, then pushed to July 26. They were postponed again and are now scheduled in September this year. The union ministry of education has scheduled NEET to be held on September 13, engineering entrance exam JEE Main has been planned from September 1-6. Around 9.53 lakh candidates have registered for JEE-Mains and 15.97 lakh students have registered for NEET. While the Centre’s decision to hold NEET, JEE exams amid COVID-19 has found support among academicians, more Opposition leaders have joined the bandwagon opposing the move. The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test and the Joint Entrance Exam are supposed to be an academic affair where the only concern should be on cracking it. However, 2020 is no normal year and the hysteria over the coronavirus pandemic has given way to political fight. During a virtual meeting with chief ministers of seven states convened by Congress supremo Sonia Gandhi, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee urged her fellow state chiefs to challenge the Supreme Court order together. Two main players in what is seemingly going to be a political war - Mamata Banerjee and Sonia Gandhi- have brought others like JMM ’s Hemant Soren and Shiv Sena’s Uddhav Thackeray together to demand what Congress leader Rahul Gandhi calls an “acceptable solution”. A day after seven chief ministers of non-BJP ruled states decided to jointly move the Supreme Court against the Centre’s decision to hold the NEET and JEE (Main) exam amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the tug of war over the exams continued on Thursday with more voices joining both sides of the argument. Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik and DMK chief MK Stalin too reiterated their opposition the exams. On Thursday, Stalin even urged the chief ministers of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana to join the Opposition as they unite to move the Supreme Court against the exams. Students’ organisations, such as AISA, SFI, NSUI among others, have been holding consistent social media campaigns to demand the cancellation or postponement of the exams. Calling the Centre “ever insensitive”, major opposition party Chief Ministers have come together and made this academic affair a political playground where the theatre of CMs versus the Centre is being played out with emotions. On the flip side, while 150 academicians wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying any further delay will compromise students’ future, directors of several II Ts warned that that academic year will turn ‘zero academic year’ if exams are not held as scheduled. The opposition appears to have utilised the current COVID-19 pandemic to object against scheduling of exams due to safety concerns for the 25 lakh candidates.The National Testing Agency(NTA) which conducts the exams has taken measures to address safety concerns. In the ultimate analysis, morbid fear of the pandemic cannot be allowed to hold life to ransom and it is incumbent upon all to ponder over this.
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Daily Devotion Living Your Theology
Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you… —John 12:35
Beware of not acting upon what you see in your moments on the mountaintop with God. If you do not obey the light, it will turn into darkness. “If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” (Matthew 6:23). The moment you forsake the matter of sanctification or neglect anything else on which God has given you His light, your spiritual life begins to disintegrate within you. Continually bring the truth out into your real life, working it out into every area, or else even the light that you possess will itself prove to be a curse.
The most difficult person to deal with is the one who has the prideful self-satisfaction of a past experience, but is not working that experience out in his everyday life. If you say you are sanctified, show it. The experience must be so genuine that it shows in your life. Beware of any belief that makes you self-indulgent or self-gratifying; that belief came from the pit of hell itself, regardless of how beautiful it may sound.
Your theology must work itself out, exhibiting itself in your most common everyday relationships. Our Lord said, “…unless your righteousness exceedsthe righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20). In other words, you must be more moral than the most moral person you know. You may know all about the doctrine of sanctification, but are you working it out in the everyday issues of your life? Every detail of your life, whether physical, moral, or spiritual, is to be judged and measured by the standard of the atonement by the Cross of Christ. T he past history says that after the first World War the British Government decided to grant dominion status to its empire nations and particularly to the British India, it sent Simon Commission under Sir Clement Attlee, MP, who visited Kohima in 1929 to seek the views of Naga leaders whether they will agree to be brought under India Dominion Act of 1935. Accordingly, after thorough discussion the Naga Club submitted the famous memorandum of 1929 - in which it was clearly stated that Nagas were free and independent before the advent of the British Empire and was never under the Indian Raj. Therefore, if the British have decided to go back, Nagas should be left free to decide its own future. Moreover, half of them hate us for our beef and the other half hate us for our pork. Therefore, the question of joining the teeming millions of Indian does not arise at all.
Consequently, therefore when the Dominion India Act of 1935 was passed the Naga areas were classified as excluded areas. Again during the 2nd World War because of having received the full support in the war effort by the Indian Army, the leaders of India was promised full independence after the war.
Incidentally, after the
Post-mortem Naga boundary and history
war, Sir Clement Atlee became the Prime Minister of Great Britain, therefore, Atlee advised Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the then interim Prime Minister of India, throughSir LordMountbatten, the then Governor General of India, to contact the Naga Tribals of the North East before declaring India Independent. Accordingly, the interim Government of India entrusted the emissaries in the person of Sir AkbarHydari, the then Governor of Assam Province and Sri. GopinathBordoloi, the then premier of Assam province to meet the Nagas. For this purpose, the then DC Naga Hills Sir.CR Pawseyhas organized the Naga Hill Tribal Council (which was later transformed into Naga National Council). The first meeting took place in Jan 1947 followed by a number of parleys. Finally, the NNC was asked to submit itsviews in writing which was submitted in the form of memorandum on 26th June 1947.Following which a marathon meeting took place from 27th to 29th June resulting in an agreement known as “Hydari Agreement” also better known as 9 Point agreement on 29th June 1947. This agreement clearly stated that; Naga traditional, cultural, customary usages will be respected and all its historical territories will be brought back to Naga Hill district. These assurances were re-affirmed a number of times whereas in the enactment of the Constitution of India in 1950 no mention was made about the Naga historical integrity. This led the NNC to declare unilateral plebiscite in 1951 which clearly affirmed that Nagaland (territories) belong to the Nagas.
The GoI instead of acknowledging its failures in fulfilling its own commitment, took affront to the declaration and imposed many draconian laws and using its armed forces kill thousands and thousands of innocent Nagas, raping women, burning of villages and inflicting untold miseries and suffering on the Naga people.
The situation has been clearly described by no other than the former Governor of Himachal Pradesh Sri Hokishe Sema-in his book ‘The Emergence of Nagaland’ that due to the GoI non fulfillment of its promises, emanates insurgency in Nagaland. Also the reason why GoI failed to fulfill it promises will be contained in the book “My day with Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru” by B N Mullick, Personal Secretary to PM Nehru from 1947 to till his death in 1964, who was also Director of Indian Central Intelligence Department. Here Sir Mullick has clearly stated that the 16 point memorandum submitted by Naga people conference in 1959 contains two points (No.12&13) which were not according to the draft submitted by Central Intelligence Agency (by the then Deputy Intelligence Officer North East India, Sri S N Dutt). In the book above it was mentioned by the then PS to PM India that Point No. 12 and 13 was added by a devil officer. By now everyone is aware of who was that devil officer, he was none other than Sri. A Kevichusa the first IAS (Retd) officer among the Nagas, he was made the chairman of the Drafting Committee appointed by NPC during its conference at Wokha before submitting 16 points memorandum to the GoI.
It needs to be pointed out that point no 12 and 13 is the reiteration of point no 6 of the 9 Points agreement. This deals with amalgamation of all Naga inhabited territories and retransfer of all Naga forest and mineral resources which were arbitrarily transferred out of the Naga Hill district by the British Government for their own conveniences.
Furthermore, it is also interesting to note that at the time of meeting with NPC, the then Central Intelligence Director has advised the then PM Nehru to be away and also not depute none of his ministers to represent him except his Personal Secretary and Secretary External Affairs Ministries. This 16 Points memorandum was discussed between NPC leaders and Secretary External Affairs and Director of Central Intelligence Bureau who was the Prime Minister’s Personal Secretary. The meeting went on quite well on all points except point no 12 and 13 for which no decision was taken on the excuse that it will take time. Till now no action has been taken.
In the meantime, Assam Government has filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court in 1988 Civil Suit No.2/88 requesting that the Inner Line should be declared as the boundary between Assam and Nagaland. The Civil Suit involves as under- 1) Assam Govt. 2) Election Commission and 3) Governmentof Nagaland. This matter was first heard by the Hon’ble Supreme Court, later by the Local Commission and then by the Mediator Commission, both appointed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court. During the last hearing by the Mediator Commission in 2012 it was clearly pointed out that Nagaland State was created in 1962 by an act of Parliament of India but without boundary. This was confirmed by the Chief Secretary of the Assam Government, the Joint Secretary of the Government of India of Home Affairs and then by the Surveyor General of India, who stated that the first map of Nagaland State was drawn by them but underneath the same map was written - “boundary not verified”. It may be noted that under Art 3 & 4 of the Constitution of India; the Government of India is duty bound to demarcate the boundary of the newly created state which was never done in the case of the State of Nagaland. Again it was pointed out under Art.363 of the Constitution of India that no court can interfere in matters on which the Government of India has entered into an agreement with any authority even prior to the declaration of Indian Independence. Therefore, this writ petition is out of the purview of even the Supreme Court and therewith the hearing ended. Accordingly, the Hon’ble Supreme Court disposes of the writ petition by passing an order directing the Government of India to take steps in 2014.
Therefore, in view of the above, it will not be possible to find a solution or peace without first taking steps for integration and amalgamation of all the Naga territories as promised by the Government of India as directed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India.
Vihielie Sekhose, IAS (Retd.) Former Advisor Border Affairs Nagaland
Helping our children cope the pandemic Fading originality
Everything that has mall/restaurant visits and a like death, dooms day, end under the initiative of the amidst advancements unfolded in these past few months has been difficult for all of us to comprehend. Not only for us but our parents and grandparents, we have never been prepared for this kind lot of their normal activities were restricted. They were bombarded with information on how they had to follow a new norm in order to stay safe which might have been overwhelming in of the world, or everything is falling apart is something we need to be mindful with. Such statements can cause more stress and anxiety because every child responds differently. Even if it annoys department S h r i T. S e k h o s e (SCERT, Director), Professor Zavise Rume, Ms. Amongla Jamir and team. It’s a smart step towards a more inclusive and holistic E ver since we grow up Join College and step into a fast growing competitive generation, secularly and academically we experience exceptional growth and progress. Howdiscourage about excelling in other cultures and studies, but embedding the concern of resurging our valuable culture and tradition amidst advancing because it is our identity. Many young people of a situation. This is so the beginning. Even though them checking up on how approach because the eduever, similarly the fading and considered indigenous tradimuch bigger than anything they were very well aware everything is going, if the cation system today is not erosion of indigenous ethos tion and culture as primitive anyone of us had experiall the reasons; why? They information that they are just helping our children is also swift either. The chief and unexciting. Learning enced collectively. We never had to follow all the instrucexpose to is accurate or not perform better academifocuses of the world happen and preserving of folklores had to deal with something tions. It was also necessary occasionally is important, cally, but also helping the to be advancement with new seems irrelevant to many quite like this until now. to know that some students since there are many fake students deal with life chaldevelopment, bringing new smart and intelligent peoAnd it’s fair to say this crisis had to deal with grief over news around. Because even lenges and demands that afmethods and running after ple. Various contemporary has also generated feelings the loss of not being able if most of the time they are fect their development. So, newest research theories and philosophical thoughts and of uncertainty, insecurity, to attend their final year managing themselves well, these teachers are trained to productions. We all busy concept, advancement of boredom, confusion, fear, of school or transitioning sometimes they might be provide mental health assisrunning after this fast growscience and technology has chaos, helplessness and into college, 3 or 4 year olds bothered. So acknowledgtance to students. Also for ing competitive world. In the already preoccupied many frustration. Despite all that, we as adults are doing all we can in ways we know to cope through the experience we have gained over the years. Even though it’s a trial and error process, it gives us a sense of control and calmness. Unfortunately our children being smart don’t have that richness of experience that can provide them a sense of perspective. So a lot of how they are going to understand all that is happening mostly depends on the adults surrounding them. It’s been few months since the pandemic started so we have become habituated staying at home but doesn’t mean it’s easy. And though we are all trying to manage our complex self together, it becomes very important to remind missing their first year of school, teenagers missing out school activities, or seeing their crush in person such a major thing, trivial for us adults. But when we were young it made sense so better use the same yard stick. Even though these thoughts are not consistent it’s an ongoing struggle they endure. As adults we may be able to sympathise but we exactly don’t know how this feels; since we have never been in those shoes where we have missed those milestones. The family dynamics can also create internal blocks like single parent household, health issues in the family, drug/ alcohol abuse, verbal and physical violence in the family, financial crisis or job loss, child with neurodeveling and creating a safe space where their thoughts and emotions are validated in healthy and non judgmental ways; sends a message to the child that is a human thing and they are going to be listened to. But it’s also crucial how parents stand as model in their body language, speech, tone, how they interact with each other, managing conflicts and resolving daily challenges. Because we need to remember that kids are smart and observant of everything around them. They pick up on all these cues and will use these as strategies in different life situations to solve problems. So as parent we should be aware of how the environment we create in turn creates us. It is always a symbiotic relationship. It parents having to manage children with neurodevelopment disorder can be very difficult especially during these times. Since parents are not able to take their children for their therapies. It would be beneficial if they can continue those interventions and strategies from home with the consultation of special educators, therapist and doctors. Also CIHSR Dimapur provides teleconsultation for children with special needs thus helping to reduce the anxiety of hospital visitations so the whole process is completed from the safety of one’s home. These uncertain times, can be seen as a growing experience. Learning selfcare, maintaining healthy togetherness and boundarmean time indigenous cultural and traditional ethos are also severely sinking. Looking through the way of life particularly our young Nagas generation today, knowing his origin and accepting his existing lineage is been often despised and ignored. Inclusive advancement of human standard, cross culture adaptation and particularly the western thoughts and its way of education has made our way of thinking global and liberalized our approaches. When we look into post modern social scenario ours may not be exceptional but not less than any other existing society in the world. However in the process the knowledge of our own unique identity is been compromised and neglected but praised and press on to adapt foreign minds. However no matter how advance we become with foreign cultures and traditional ethos we will be a Naga and to keep our Naga identity we must not confused or ignorant about our basic cultural evidences such as our own tribal dialect, historical account, costumes and its implication, folklores etc, which gives a good account of our origin. Ignorant or clueless about Naga history, culture and traditional ethos is a great shame to claim oneself as a Naga or belong to Naga. Likewise claiming or consider oneself belongs to a particular tribe without having the basic etiquette of tribe such as dialect, cultural and traditional beliefs is a lost person. (To be concluded) ourselves to look at these opment disorder, parent’s as is also essential to maintain ies, stress management, culture and even excels in Lohrü Soruna, changes through the child’s frontline worker, both worka schedule like dinner time, compassion, finding inner many fields. Not intended to Kuda B village, Dimapur lenses. ing parents. Each of these study time, sleep hygiene, strength. Also teaching our
Now we are all aware family conditions is differprayer time, being occupied children how life is not alhow in the beginning of the lockdown, both children and adults were at ease like on vacation. But when ent and has its unique challenges and consequences sometimes raising concerns for mental health issues. with their gadgets, personal time, physical activity where everyone is involved like chores, games, and ways a straight line but at times demands that we learn to be flexible and creative. Even though the amount of Reader’s Post it became clear, this virus was in for the long haul the honeymoon phase came to With all these transitions they have to alter overnight mentally, physically, exercise; having a schedule where all the family members are participating time we are spending with our family is increased. We can use this time as a unique Driven by sentiments, not facts an end. Then it dawned on us parents that we not only had to work from home but become our child’s teacher too. And thousands of other spiritually, emotionally, and socially. It demands that we as their care takers are vigilant making sure that the wellbeing of our children brings a sense of collective coping creating a strong support system. But when they don’t listen and are being difficult they need to be opportunity to build our relationships especially if we have some differences with one of our children. Though as parents and adults we Sir, Many of us have started condemning against the IRB personnel in the recent incident, where a doctor alleged he was assaulted by IRB personnel. We as general public, should be wise enough not to pour out hatred or challenges followed as if are looked after. We can held accountable and dealt might not get things right discriminatory remarks without listening to both sides of the flood gates were wide start with having open and with constructively. Parents a lot of times, as long as the story. As it has been known to all of us that an inquiry opened. Children of all honest conversations about can also seek help from we are able to transmit opcommittee has been established, we should not be quick stages, they had to deal with how we are unsure of when teachers, school counseltimism and carry out some to judge anyone. the change in their daily all this is going to end but lor/ therapist, counselling of this basic safety measures Needless to say, I am in no condition to state or blame structure. Attending school, that this is not permanent. organisations, other parents we’ll just be fine for whatwho is at fault and who is innocent. interacting with friends and Share your struggles and or adults, and those teachever is to come next. However, I can very clearly state that we Nagas teachers, tuition classes, the worries in words and ways ers who have been trained Temsumenla, Counselare much driven by our emotions and react to it, which fun of mid day meals, Sunthat are appropriate for their under the SCERT nine ling Psychologist, might lead to shame and regret. Law should not tolerate day school, church, visiting cognitive and emotional months diploma course in Member, All Nagaland the guilty. grandparents/ relatives, reasoning. Using words school counselling, started Counsellors Association Mugahato Zhimomi, Dimapur
