Year Ender 2022: A year of expectancy & despondency

As the year 2022 comes to a close, it will be remembered for major developments that has taken place beginning with the demand for justice over of the horrific Oting Massacre that took place on December 4, 2021; creation of new districts; perennial hopes for early solution of the Naga political issue and ENPO demand for creation of Frontier Nagaland in eastern Nagaland.
Justice eluded the victims of Oting when the Supreme Court on July 19 stayed criminal proceedings against 30 members of the 21 Para Special Force, including a Major, in connection with the botched Army operation in Oting-Tiru area. The court noted that previous sanction as required under Section 6 of the Armed Forces (Special 4 Powers) Act, 1958, had not been obtained.
ENPO demand for statehood had also led to decision for abstention from participation in the 2023 assembly election under eastern Nagaland having 20 assembly constituencies.
ENPO also boycotted the 2022 Hornbill Festival and banned any display of items of any kind from eastern Nagaland tribes.
The ongoing demand and expectation for Naga political solution appeared to be near but still elusive despite almost all issues having been resolved except the demand from NSCN(I-M) for inclusion of flag and constitution.
The Government of India’s Representative for the Naga political talks, A.K. Mishra has been working to bring an early resolution and according to source while Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has been roped in by the Centre to get all on board.
This is addition to the formation of Core Committee on Naga Political Issue (CCoNPI) in June comprising of members of the second opposition-less government- United Democratic Alliance (UDA) formed in September 2021 by 60 legislators from NDPP, BJP, Independents and opposition NPF. UDA was formed as evidence of unity in the greater interest of the Naga people and to strengthen peaceful solution.
The unity plea was soon demolished when 21 out of 25 NPF legislators in April 2022 defected to NDPP giving the latter a huge 42-member strength. The NPF was left with four MLAs who continue to remain within the UDA.
As Nagaland is scheduled to go to the polls, the issue before the people has become totally confusing since all 60 MLAs are in the ruling government.
The 2018 seat sharing formula between NDPP (40) and BJP (20) which was agreed for 2023 was also a bone of contention between the state unit and the national BJP but the latter prevailed.
Deferment of election looks less likely since there has been no concrete evidence that the Centre will implement the outcomes of both the Framework Agreement and Agreed Position.
The state government on July 29,2022 was ordered by the Supreme Court, on the PIL taken by some human rights activists, to comply with the court directive to hold ULB election. The state government however took the plea to hold ULB election only after the assembly polls.
The stir by Nagaland In-service Doctors Association (NIDA) had threatened to disrupt health system over demand for raising superannuation from present 60 to 65 but NIDA later reduced it to 62. However, the state government offered to re-employ on superannuation and not continuance of service.
As Nagaland bids goodbye to 2022 and welcomes the new year 2023, people would perhaps have the opportunity to choose their next government when election is held in 2023. They would also need to be conscious of the fact that the next elected representatives need to give a better account of themselves in order to bring balanced growth in all spheres.