The controversy generated by a BJP leader’s statement that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is probing into the files of 17 senior officers in Nagaland has triggered a major socio-political row.
Even as varied reactions have poured in on BJP leader Dilip Jaiswal’s claim that 17 senior officers under Nagaland government are facing ED probe, some social workers say that “corruption is a reality” in Nagaland and none should try refusing to see the mirror.
Former Pradesh Congress president, Kewekhape Therie, said the remarks from BJP national secretary Dilip Jaiswal is a manner of saffron party’s “signal to change leadership” in Nagaland. He also said in a statement that the other is to intimidate 48 regional party MLAs.
In February polls this year, the BJP could win 12 seats as it did five years ago in 2018. Incumbent Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio is heading the NDPP-BJP coalition government. Rio otherwise has been a trusted ally of the BJP since 2003.
Therie also pointed out that there are already five known ED cases pending in Nagaland but the delay in probe and court proceedings have made people to raise eyebrows in suspicion.
One case pertains to delay in constructing the High Court complex and on this some associates of Chief Minister Rio were also questioned last year.
Another politician and NPF legislature party leader, Kuzholuzo Azo Nienu, told IANS, “I have taken cognizance of the statement by BJP leader Dilip Jaiswal that an ED probe has been launched against 17 officers”.
“My view point is clear, corruption in any manner should be taken seriously and investigation in any manner must be welcomed by one and all in order to deliver good governance and justice to the people.”
“Whether it is 17 officers or 71 politicians and business people. If there was corruption, it’s a cancer and so the law should take its course and wrongdoers should be punished,” Azo said.
During his visit to Dimapur in Nagaland on June 16 in connection with completion of nine years of the Modi government, Dilip Jaiswal, Member of Legislative Council (MLC) of Bihar, and also state BJP in-charge for Sikkim, claimed at a media interaction that — “There are 17 senior officers of Nagaland government whose files have been opened and were under investigation by the ED”.
For his part, to a question NPF leader Azo said, “I am not authenticating what Jaiswal has said. Because I am not privy to any information at my level. But because he is an important BJP leader, I take his words made at a press conference seriously”.
Jaiswal had admitted that the BJP was a part of the coalition government in Nagaland, but maintained that he would not hesitate to speak the truth as corruption was still rampant in the state.
However, it has generated enough curiosity that while he sought to blame it on civil and police officials for corruption, he declined to say anything on politicians.
NPF leader Azo, also a former Minister, hastened to add, “I do not know who these officials are…and which departments they belong to. But if there are corruption cases then the probe should be expedited to bring out the truth. Law of the land should take its course.”
Congress leader Therie also said, although ED and CBI have been misused by the Centre elsewhere, “However, I am happy that ED is doing something appreciable in Nagaland. In the absence of opposition, ED can help the public”. Therie said Jaiswal actually agreed that “his party (BJP) government is corrupt” in Nagaland. But he assured, if the ED was serious to clean corruption, “we will support to let the law take its own course” without political influences.
However, a very strong statement has emerged from a retired civil servant, Alemtemshi Jamir, a former Chief Secretary, “Who is an MLC of all the places …from Bihar who is trying to pass adverse comments on the bureaucracy of Nagaland ?”
“Firstly I think very strongly …knowing all things about bureaucracy and governance in Bihar,he has no credentials. Mr Dilip Jaiswal has no right to talk about bureaucracy in Nagaland,” said the former Chief Secretary, who has worked closely with Chief Ministers Neiphiu Rio and S.C. Jamir.
“The administration here in Nagaland is not like other parts of India…we are under terrible threats,” he pointed out.
“Yet, the IAS and IPS have been functioning diligently…Most importantly, denigrating the IAS and IPS fraternity of Nagaland is just not fair. It is humiliating and adds insult to the injuries. Unlike the mainstream India where bureaucracy and politicians have the luxury of peace, in Nagaland we all have gone through hell. The eighties and nineties were so scary and fearful. We lost fraternity brothers. Deputy Commissioner, Kohima, L.V. Reddy, a young officer, was killed in 1995,” Alemtemshi told this journalist over phone.
He also pointed out that in the nineties, SP, Mokokchung, Ved Prakash was gunned down and another IPS officer, Akangyanger Aier was also shot dead.
The charges of corruption are nothing new in Nagaland. In the eighties, senior journalist M.J. Akbar had said, “In Nagaland payments (for government contracts/ projects) are done for works done in heaven (previous life).”
Surprisingly, the NDPP and BJP leaders have not reacted formally yet even as a number of saffron party leaders admit, “The episode is embarrassing as we are part of the government in Nagaland with our nominee as the state Home Minister (Y. Patton) since 2018”.
Congress leader Therie, a bitter rival of incumbent Chief Minister Rio, however has added a new flavour in the debate when he said, BJP leader Jaiswal’s statement was “calculated and with authority”.
“He (Jaiswal) has information from ED. The statement is with a forked tongue. It is a signal to change leadership, and the other is to intimidate 48 regional MLAs with ED for fear of being debunked.”
With the law and order situation already in mess in neighbouring Manipur, this development in Nagaland vis-a-vis a statement from a central BJP leader on ED probe in Nagaland is quite a curious episode.
According to party insiders, the central BJP is embarrassed over an ‘impeachment’ proceeding against the Rio government (of NDPP-BJP) in Nagaland in the Supreme Court. The proceeding related to the Rio government’s decision not to implement the Supreme Court order on Urban Local Body (ULB) polls.
Last month during the proceedings, the two-member bench of Justices S.K. Kaul and A. Amanullah told the Centre, “We cannot let the law of the land not be followed.” (with regard impeachment case against Nagaland government)
The court also used the phrase — “long rope for hanging” against the Nagaland government.
A former Chief Minister told this journalist, “Never in my long career had I heard the Supreme Court using the phrase of a rope and hanging even against a small government department. This is against an elected state government which enjoys the political backing of PM Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.”
Instead of implementing the Supreme Court order on ULB polls with quota for women, the state government in January this year withdrew the law related to the subject saying the Naga customary laws did not allow any such reservation for women.
(Nirendra Dev is a New Delhi-based journalist. He is also author of the books ‘The Talking Guns: North East India’ and ‘Modi to Moditva: An Uncensored Truth’. Views expressed are personal)
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