North by Northeast

The Centre has  neglected the country’s Northeast states far too long. Will the foreign minister’s recent interaction with people bring any substantive change?

Pranay Sharma Shillong

It took some personal courage, determination, and political acumen for Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee to break the jinx and keep his date with the Northeast. On June 16, he finally made it to the picturesque Meghalaya capital, Shillong, to participate in the 'interactive session' with the civil society of the Northeast to find ways on how best the seven states in the region could play a role and benefit from India's 'Look East Policy'.

Mukherjee's trip to the Northeast had run into trouble from the very beginning. In April this year, soon after the 'Public Diplomacy' division of the ministry of external affairs organised the 'interactive session', the minister met with an accident in his home state, West Bengal. Finally, when it was re-scheduled for June 16, the rain-gods decided to play spoilsport. The heavy rains—both in Delhi and Shillong—made flying difficult. But even after the special aircraft carrying the minister and his delegation reached Guwahati, it was made clear that the weather would not permit him to take the helicopter to reach the hill-station where hundreds of people from different parts of the Northeast had already assembled for the 'interactive session'.

It was then the minister decided to go by car—a three-hour ride on normal days — to Shillong. The journey was not incident-free either. Soon after the minister's entourage began the climb, the escort jeep in front that was carrying four Assam policemen, took a tumble and fell into a roadside ditch. It was sheer luck that none of them had any serious injuries; the minister ensured that they were taken off duty and sent back to the barracks to rest.

It was late afternoon by the time Mukherjee reached Shillong and entered the convention hall of the Pine Wood Hotel to interact with the large number of NGOs, teachers, professionals, journalists, and lawyers from the Northeast. The minister made it clear why he was there. The prepared text of his speech on 'Geography as an Opportunity', said as much. But then, the assembled gathering also had much to tell him. They took the opportunity to list out their grievances against Delhi—the neglect and indifference, the lack of a comprehensive policy to engage in a sustained and meaningful way with the people and efforts to meet their aspirations.

Pranab Babu listened patiently. And when he responded, he spoke from the heart, not from any prepared text. He admitted that most of the grievances were legitimate and the time had perhaps come for a fresh beginning to be made for a more durable and mutually beneficial engagement between Delhi and the people of the Northeast.

Most went back from the minister's 'interactive session', with a little more hope and encouragement than they had come to Shillong with. The first Big Step had been taken. But what would be the next one?

Delhi has been flirting with the Northeast for years. The 'on-again off-again' attraction and interest it has shown towards the region has not turned into a serious affair in the last 60 years. The closest it came to developing a meaningful relationship was perhaps in the early 1960s in the wake of India's border dispute with China. But the outcome of the Sino-Indian conflict strengthened the hands of 'conspiracy theorists' in the Indian establishment. The fear that better roads and infrastructure in the area could in effect help an invading army from across the border in the event of another war, ensured the Northeast remained one of the most under-developed areas of the country.