NE states could be more volatile than Kashmir

Political analysts presage that with the abolition of Article 370 of the Constitution, 10 states other than Jammu and Kashmir which enjoy special category status could be more volatile than the Jammu and Kashmir. These are Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura and Uttarakhand. Arvind Kumar, assistant professor at the Centre for the Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy, Jamia Millia Islamia, said: “This (abrogation) might serve as a template for other special category states”. Neera Chandhoke, a former professor of political science at Delhi University, said: “This might set a precedent but Kashmir has been a priority for the Bharatiya Janata Party. Never before, a state has been downgraded. You don’t do this in a democracy. You don’t go to war against your own people. One can’t have a military solution to a political situation”.
Nagaland, which has had an uneasy relationship with the mainland, is the most volatile state, as it is wary of National Democratic Alliance’s promises made in the Naga Peace Accord of 2015 that remain unfulfilled due to slow progress of talks, and the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016. However, the writ of the government is said to be confined to state capital Kohima, and the rebels have parallel administration in Nagaland and the Naga-dominated areas in neighboring Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam. Rebel groups have for several decades imposed taxes in the name of “national work”, interfered in politics and elections, and gave verdicts on family and farmland disputes. Though Nagaland has special provisions under Article 371A following the creation of the state of Nagaland; yet it proved as a motive for fresh insurgency under the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN).
In Mizoram, former Chief Minister of Mizoram, Lal Thanhawla, has made his position on the developments in Jammu and Kashmir clear through a tweet on August 5. He tweeted: “It has become a threat to states like Mizoram, Nagaland & Arunachal which are protected by the Constitution. If 35A and 370 are repealed, Article 371G, which safeguards the interests and existence of lesser tribals of Mizoram is under severe threat.” Other political parties in Mizoram have also condemned the move, as the People’s Representation for Identity and Status of Mizoram (PRISM) has sounded the alarm and urged the ‘indigenous people’ of the Northeast to be prepared. Meanwhile, the final Assam citizens’ list was released, leaving out more than 1.9 million Muslims. Some of the significant separatist movements in India include Naxalites or Maoists, which is second major freedom movement after IOK in India.
In 2006, Manmohan Singh the then Prime Minister of India had called Maoist insurrection the single biggest internal-security challenge. Maoists inhabit an area known as the ‘Red Corridor’ that stretches from West Bengal to Karnataka state in the southwest. They are active across 220 districts in 20 states forming about 40% of India’s geographical area. They also threaten to extend operations in major urban centers including New Delhi. Indian intelligence reports say that insurgents include 20,000 armed men and 50,000 regular or fulltime organizers and mobilizers, with the numbers growing by the day. The seven states of Northeastern India called the Seven Sisters are rocked by a large number of armed and violent rebellions. They accuse New Delhi of apathy towards their issues such as illiteracy, poverty and lack of economic opportunities. Tamil Nadu is another area where separatist movements are haunting federation of India.