It is rather interesting to notice the broad consternation which appeared following the interesting reading and reaction on the interview/article of SC Jamir. NISC feels the need to join the bundle of actions and reactions.
First of all is we wonder why only now he comes with these statements like he has just found out that what is happening between India and the Naga People is quite new and not a declared war since 1956.
Leaving that aside it is important to acknowledge that freedom of speech counts for every citizen thus also for SC Jamer and his opponents equally. But freedom of speech does not mean words cannot be criticized. Also, the opponent party has the right and, in this case, to criticize.
Having stated that we come to the point on what is true but first the question of what Jamir means by Nagaland! I am sure he knows that the British did cot colonize all Naga areas; in fact, it was less than 25%. Could it be that he excludes the Naga areas which were named by the British unexcluded areas of the FREE Nagas? Are these areas not included in what he called Nagaland?
Officially Nagaland State was inaugurated in 1963, three years after NPC of which he was a member (an organization which did not represent the Naga People as such) agreed with the Indian Government to create the state of Nagaland.
If that is so then he thinks Nagaland should be part of India then he also implicitly says that the FREE nagas were not part of it and should not be included in Nagaland and India. Not in India indeed, but India who Jamir represents having been in both chief Minister of Nagaland State and Governor in other states.
So, did Jamir speak on behalf of the less than 25% of all Nagas? Nagas who don’t have much in common with India regarding, culture, language, norms and values like absence of caste system and historically were free apart from the colonized areas.
The other important matters are not even mentioned by Jamir: can India show ceding papers of the Naga areas to the Naga people? After practically 80 years IT DID NOT DO SO. Did Jamir show the ceding Britain papers to India? NO! We tried to find these in the official British library where they should be.
We could not find any and then wrote to the British/the UK Government to provide them, no response!
So again, it should be stressed that in a democracy everyone can express themselves so S C Jamir too. But then he gets critique from us on what he lacks to tell and why he wants Nagas to be part of India for good!! That is also freedom of speech.
Having the freedom to speak carries also responsibility, Jamir should we think have told he wants Nagaland to be Indian; this while most Nagas want to be living in a sovereign state and rule themselves.
They don’t fancy being ruled by an alien culture who tells them how to live!!
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Friday, September 25, 2026