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Journalism of Courage
When the Nagaland Assembly election results were declared on March 2, it wasn’t just the victory of the incumbent coalition of the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) and the BJP. It was a momentous day for Naga politics — a major glass ceiling was broken. The state that had never seen a woman MLA elected two of them.
Rosemary Dzuvichu, one of the state’s most prominent women’s rights activists, described it as a “red letter day” in a Facebook post. Dzuvichu’s triumph was understandable. She and her compatriots at the feminist Naga Mothers’ Association had been leading an often lonely battle for women’s representation in the Naga political space. And the election of two MLAs, one would imagine, heralded a new chapter in the male-dominated world of Naga politics.
Soon after, in another historic development, the State Election Commission (SEC) notified the long-pending urban local body polls with 33 per cent reservation for women. The polls had been held up for years because of tribal groups’ resistance to quota for women in the urban local body polls. Less than a month later, it turned out to be a case of false hope as the all-powerful tribal bodies hardened their position on the matter.
These polls, which have not been held in a decade and a half, have been a contentious topic in Nagaland for years. In 2017, it caused such turmoil — two people died during violent protests — that then Chief Minister TR Zeliang resigned.
The Naga groups claim reservations go against their community’s customary laws. They point out that Nagas are empowered by Article 371A of the Constitution to manage certain affairs according to their customary laws. They insist that they are not against the participation of women in politics but acquiescing to reservations would pave the way for dilution of the special protections Nagas enjoy under the law.
Given the clout that these tribal groups wield, the state government has largely toed their line over the years. In December 2009, the Nagaland government indefinitely postponed the municipal elections that were due in 2010. Thereafter, all attempts to hold the elections have stalled.
But in April last year, there finally seemed to be some headway after the Supreme Court intervened. The Nagaland government said it was ready to hold the elections. Even the tribal groups seemed to have come around and appeared amenable to the idea of restoration for women. In keeping with that, the SEC last month notified the elections, scheduling them for May 16.
This was met with renewed — and for many, unforeseen — resistance. Tribal bodies started employing pressure and the state government succumbed.
During an Assembly session on March 28, the state government passed a resolution to repeal the state’s municipality act that provides for reservations. The Election Commission soon followed, cancelling the polls. But, the Supreme Court has now stepped in, staying the cancellation. On April 5, the court, while initiating contempt proceedings, said the state government’s annulment was in breach of its order.
Meanwhile, the women continue their struggle.
In a meeting on March 29 at Nagaland University, the Naga Mothers’ Association reiterated its stand, saying “the Naga women are in support of the Act providing 33% reservation in urban local bodies” and noting the “silence” of the two newly elected women MLAs. Earlier this week, a delegation of the association met Governor La Ganesan to discuss the matter. They pointed out that the decision was taken without consulting any of the women’s groups.
