Resuming sovereignty in the North-East

Vinod Saighal

20 Nov 2014

China is leaving no stone unturned to complete its maritime and land silk routes in record time so that it leaves its biggest challenger in SE Asia still struggling with failed promises, tardy decision-making, delivery deficit and last, but not least, comparatively shoddy construction. Any number of examples can be listed over the past decade, earlier as well.

However, things seem to be changing for the better for two main reasons: First, the advent of the new government with resultant across-the-board improvement in decision-making in most aspects of governance.

Secondly, as reported in many national dailies, the Trilateral Highway project, intended to link India, Myanmar and Thailand, has got Mr Narendra Modi's backing. Media reports also give details of the multi-modal transport corridors being fast-tracked and centrally monitored by the concerned ministries.

As per the MEA spokesperson these could end up as game-changers. By themselves, these fast-tracked projects, even if they do come to fruition in record time, say by 2018, two years behind schedule, may not suffice until connectivity within the North-east is also fast-tracked, and, what is more, guaranteed against delay and disruption. As things stand, there is no guarantee that the pattern of frequent connectivity disruptions that have bedeviled development in the North-east can be removed unless the government at the Centre resumes sovereignty in the North-east.

Although at no stage did sovereignty stand revoked as such, not exercising it to the fullest in as far as it relates to connectivity can be deemed to be tantamount to abdication of sovereign responsibility.

By its very charter the Union Government is obligated to guarantee free movement of people and goods to every part of the country, no matter how remote ~ be it by rail, road, air, the post or telecommunications. While natural disasters, whenever they occur, can be deemed to be force majeure delays, and disruptions cannot always be controlled by the government, no excuse for disruption can be made when these are orchestrated by political parties, disaffected groups, insurgents or for any other similar reason. The cutting off of road connectivity to Manipur for long periods is a case in point, although not the only instance of the government abdicating its sovereign responsibility.

Other examples from recent memory relate to disruption in road communication to the northeast for several weeks by uncontrolled elements in Bihar after the railway recruitment fiasco a few years ago. Elements in Jammu have resorted to disruptions of a similar nature. And in the case of the Jat reservation agitation the courts had to step in to direct the government to step in and remove the rail roko agitators.

All such man-made disruptions cause untold misery to the poorest strata of society, the daily wage earners, and heavy losses to the exchequer when movement of goods and essential commodities is stalled. The excuse normally offered by the government has been that ‘law and order’ is a state subject.

In the case of the North-east the tragedy is doubly compounded because no business persons would like to invest in green field projects when movement of goods to and fro can be delayed for long periods of time.

For the economy to improve and the country’s international commitments to be met, the new government must announce full resumption and exercise of pan-India connectivity. The following methodology can be enunciated and acted upon:

Starting with the North-east, the Union government must make it abundantly clear that both in the case of force majeure as well as disruptions caused by political or insurgent-type activity, it will allow the concerned state government to take all steps necessary to restore connectivity in the shortest possible time. Should the government feel that the response of the state government did not measure up to the situation thus obtaining, it will suo motu take all measures to restore connectivity. In all such cases, especially in the North-east, the army would remain at call and in a state of readiness to restore connectivity at the earliest.

Similar instructions will be issued to state governments for strikes that disrupt connectivity on national communication networks. 

Once again, should the state government show reluctance, tardiness or inability to act, the Centre would suo motu take steps to restore connectivity.

Needless to say, speedy infrastructure development becomes the basis for reviving the economic activity in the country. However, ease of movement and removal of bottlenecks would become equally important for benefiting from the improved infrastructure. For the North-east it literally becomes a lifeline for future development internally; and for India to take up the challenge of Look East connectivity.