Question 3639

Directions: Read the passage given below and then answer the questions given below the passage. Some words may be highlighted for your attention. Pay careful attention. Northeast India comprises of seven sister states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura. Some years back Sikkim state has also been embraced by the North- Eastern Council. The term, ‘Northeast’ was formalized through the British colonial administration as a frontier region. It is linked with Indian heartland through the 21 km. wide Siliguri Corridor, which is commonly known as the chicken neck, created by the Radcliff line, the boundary drawn by the British colonial administration before they departed from India in 1947. The corridor is flanked by Bhutan, Bangladesh and Nepal. The Northeast borders on four countries, namely, China and Bhutan on its North; Myanmar on its East; and Bangladesh on its South and West. It has an area of 2.6 lakh sq. km. (7.6% of India’s land area) while its population is 39 million plus (3.6% of India’s population). It has 475 ethnic groups and 400 languages/ dialects are spoken here. To understand the problem of insurgency in Northeast India it would be necessary to first know its genesis and analyze the narrative of each rebel group. According to the Report of the 2nd Administrative Reforms Commission the Northeast represents a state of stable anarchy where the rule of law and other institutions of governance are subverted directly or through collusive arrangements to serve personal or partisan ends of the militants. The broad racial differences between India and its Northeast and the tenuous geographical link (the chicken neck Siliguri Corridor) contributed to a sense of alienation, a feeling of ‘otherness’ that subsequently gave rise to a political culture of violent separatism. Further, Northeast India is home to more than 50 ethnic rebel groups – a few demanding complete secession from India, others fighting for ethnic identities and homelands and some running the insurgency as an industry to spin easy money without any political ideology. Despite their resilience the narratives of rebel organizations are often vague and confused. The unsaid but universal truth about an insurgency situation is that there is always much more than meets the eye behind its dynamics. The contributory causes are many including inconsistencies in history, economic structures, development and identity alienation. It is also closely related to administrative weaknesses and incompetence, but above all official corruption that continually trample upon all sense of fair play and justice. Impact of insurgency activities on society, development and politics in the Northeast is deep, wide and complex. Some of the serious negative impacts are : Internal displacement of population. The Northeast has witnessed eight major cases of conflict–induced internal displacements in recent years: a) the displacements of Hindus and Muslims of Bengali descent from and within Assam; b) the displacement of Adivasis (Tea Tribes) and Bodos within and from Western Assam; c) the displacement of Bengalis from Meghalaya, particularly Shillong; d) the displacement of Bengalis from and within Tripura; e) the displacement of Nagas, Kukis and Paites in Manipur; f) the displacement of the Reangs from Mizoram; g) the displacement of the Chakmas from Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram; h) the displacement of Karbis and Dimasas. Public psyche is deeply wounded and twisted. A fear psychosis and a great sense of insecurity became pervasive due to frequent cases of kidnapping, killing, threat and extortion; Frequent violations of human rights take place at the hands of the insurgents as well as of the security forces. Thus common man suffers; System of administration of criminal justice is derailed. Failure to differentiate common law crimes from insurgency -related crimes has serious consequences. Criminal investigation and trial are short – circuited. Police are wont, more often than not, to resort to invocation of National Security Act to detain suspects or to killing them in fake encounters. Even police officers became subservient to insurgents. Police became unscrupulous and a terror to the people; Education of children is frequently disrupted. There is heavy exodus of school-going children from the region resulting in big outflow of fund from the region. Of late a queer debate is on as to which of the two rights viz., right to life and right to education, is more important, when all the educational institutions in Manipur were closed for months following an agitation launched by Apunba Lup, a civil society group of Manipur. Manipur government holds that right to education is more important than right to life; Politics is rendered completely polluted. Nexus between politicians and insurgents has made election a farce. Elected representatives cease to be representatives of the people and thus are not responsible and accountable to the electorates but answerable to the insurgents, who managed their winning; Large portions of funds meant for development works are siphoned off and pocketed by insurgents. Majority of good contract and supply works are cornered by the insurgents in connivance with politicians and officials. Qualities of works cornered by the insurgents are extremely poor, if they execute them at all. Often they get paid without doing the works. Large amounts of food stuffs and other consumer items are siphoned off by the insurgents and resultantly the poor suffer; Businesses and enterprises failed because of frequent extortions by insurgents. Inspite of Business Summits very few are interested to invest in the Northeast though resources and potentials are abundant. Except Assam, the Northeast is an industrial desert. Insurgency is largely responsible for it; In Manipur women are extensively used as carriers of demand letters, explosives, firearms, extorted money, etc. This will have serious social consequences in future. Which of the following is not the case of conflict in north east states?