In the year 1994, I watched the Miss India Beauty Contest Pageant on television along with my four brothers at our house here in L. Khel, Kohima Village. As the contest progressed, more and more beauties went on to be eliminated. Finally, the contest narrowed down to 10 finalists. Among these 10 finalists were both Sushmita Sen and Aishwariya Rai. Then a common question was put to these final contestants to decide their entry into the next round of the competition. The question was ‘If you were given the power and opportunity to change a historical event, what would it be and why?’ All the finalists were to come up with their own answers and reasons.
To this question, Sushmita Sen replied that if she was given the power to change an event of history, it would be the assassination of Indira Gandhi in October 1984. Miss. Sen also came up with some very convincing reasons in support of her answer. To this same question, Aishwariya Rai surprisingly replied that she would change her own birth if she was given the opportunity to change a historical event. The reasons she gave in support of her answer also failed to impress the judges much. Of course, Sushmita Sen went on to be crowned Miss. India that year while Aishwariya was crowned as first runners-up.
Over the years I also have asked myself this same question. Perhaps if I am given the power and opportunity to change an event of history, it would most probably be the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi on 30th January 1948. I think so because I feel that if Mahatma Gandhi was not assassinated on this day and if he had lived for another 7 – 10 years, then most probably the political fate of the Nagas would have been very different from the one we have lived and experienced for the last 60 years.
Gandhi was born on 2nd October 1869 and so at the time of his death in January 1948, he was about 78 years and 4 months. Therefore if he was not assassinated by Nathuram Godse on this fateful day, there was no reason why he could not have lived for another 7 – 10 years. And if this was the case, then indeed the Naga story could have been very different.
Now, let us go into the details about the possible outcomes in the case of such an eventuality. An NNC delegation met Mahatma Gandhi on 19th July 1947 at Bhangi Colony, Delhi. In this meeting, Gandhi is said to have understood the position of the Nagas and said “The Nagas have every right to be independent. I believe in brotherhood of men, but I do not believe in force and forced unions. If you do not want to join the Indian Union, nobody would force you to do that”. This assurance from the father of the Indian nation certainly must have come as a big relief and encouragement to the Naga leaders.
Therefore, if Gandhi had really said these words on 19th July 1947, it would have been really interesting to see if he would hold on to these statements or backtrack on it had he lived for another 7 – 10 years. Gandhi is known to be a person who practiced what he preached and preached what he practiced. Even today Mahatma Gandhi continues to be such a revered and influential figure because his words and his actions had never been contradictory to one another. Indeed, Gandhi’s actions had always directly reflected his words. Therefore, personally I believe that it might not be easy for him to backtrack on something which he had already said. Moreover, Gandhi was also a person who always believed and relied upon his conscience. Indeed, he is believed to have said once that the greatest court and the greatest deliverer of justice is one’s own conscience. Therefore if his conscience tells him that the Nagas are not Indians and that the lands of the Nagas do not belong to India, then Gandhi would certainly not allow anybody to embark upon a forceful integration of the Nagas and Naga lands with India.
When Mahatma Gandhi returned to India from South Africa in 1915, he did not straightaway launch any political campaign or agitation in the country even though he was well aware of the situation and the oppression meted out to his people in their own country. Rather Gandhi took his own time and decided to undertake extensive tours across the country to see for himself first-hand the plight, the oppression, the struggles and the aspirations of his people. Only after these, Gandhi launched his political campaigns and movements in India. Also in August 1947, when all the national leaders of the country were in Delhi to celebrate and celebrating India’s independence and freedom, Gandhi was not even in Delhi. Indeed it is noteworthy that when India was celebrating its independence day, the dawn of a new era, in August 1947, the man who was largely responsible for this long-awaited freedom was walking barefooted in the riot affected areas appealing for peace and tolerance amongst the Hindu and Muslim brothers.
Therefore, keeping in mind these attributes of Mahatma Gandhi, it was also highly possible that he might even decide to visit the Naga hills himself in person had he lived for some more years.
The Nagas declared their Independence on 14th August 1947 but the Indian government refused to acknowledge this declaration. The NNC also conducted the famous Naga plebiscite on 16th May 1951 to prove once and for all that the Nagas had nothing to do with the new Independent India. Still India refused to acknowledge these aspirations of the Nagas. Likewise, the Nagas also refused to participate in the Indian elections which were attempted to be staged in the Naga hills as well in the early 1950s.
Therefore, if Gandhi had been alive in these early years of the 1950s, it was highly possible that the great Mahatma might decide to come to the Naga hills to witness for himself the situation and the political aspirations of the Nagas. And if a world renowned personality like Gandhi did come to the Naga hills, it would have certainly put the Nagas in the news and limelight and through this many would have come to know about the legitimate political aspirations of the Nagas. And once Gandhi saw for himself the uniqueness of the Naga race, history, culture, traditions, customs, attires, language and the consequent aspirations of our people, I believe he would have gone back and told the other Indian leaders that there was nothing Indian about the Nagas and such a declaration from him could have settled the issue once and for all. Moreover such a visit by this iconic figure of the 20th century would certainly remain as an unforgettable episode in the hearts and minds of the Nagas for generations to come.
Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of India, was exactly 20 years younger to Mahatma Gandhi. And so in the 1940s, when Gandhi was already in his 70s, it was Nehru who emerged as the new undisputed leader of India. But as long as Gandhi lived he continued to be the moral guide and the driving force of Indian politics. Till the end Gandhi’s political philosophies and ideas served as the guiding star and conscience-keeper of not only Nehru but all the major Congress leaders during those years.
Therefore, if this apostle of peace and non-violence had lived through the 1950s, I believe it would never have been possible for the Indian government led by Nehru to resort to such a violent and brutal military campaign against the Nagas as was done against us in the 1950s.
Therefore, in the light of the above discussions, I conclude that if Gandhi was not assassinated in January 1948 and if he had lived for another 7 – 10 years, most probably Nagaland would have been an independent and sovereign South East Asian nation today. And if the Nagas and Nagaland were recognized by India, Burma and the world as an independent and sovereign nation in the 1950s, I do not know whether our roads would still be filled with the latest Indian manufactured cars, whether our salaries would still be as handsome as the ones we receive today, whether most of our houses would still be as beautiful and magnificent as the ones today, whether our economic status would still be as stable and secure as they are today and whether our 21st century lives would still be as comfortable and versatile as they are today.
But for me, even if our houses are hay-covered and bamboo-made, even if our roads are not crowded with the latest cars, even if our salaries are not so handy and handsome as the ones we receive today, even if our economic status is not as stable and secure as they are today and even if our lives are not as comfortable and versatile as they are today ……….. Still then, the feeling and the pride that will come with being a citizen of an independent and sovereign Nagaland would be much more gratifying and satisfying than being called an Indian citizen in this puppet state of Nagaland…………….
To this question, Sushmita Sen replied that if she was given the power to change an event of history, it would be the assassination of Indira Gandhi in October 1984. Miss. Sen also came up with some very convincing reasons in support of her answer. To this same question, Aishwariya Rai surprisingly replied that she would change her own birth if she was given the opportunity to change a historical event. The reasons she gave in support of her answer also failed to impress the judges much. Of course, Sushmita Sen went on to be crowned Miss. India that year while Aishwariya was crowned as first runners-up.
Over the years I also have asked myself this same question. Perhaps if I am given the power and opportunity to change an event of history, it would most probably be the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi on 30th January 1948. I think so because I feel that if Mahatma Gandhi was not assassinated on this day and if he had lived for another 7 – 10 years, then most probably the political fate of the Nagas would have been very different from the one we have lived and experienced for the last 60 years.
Gandhi was born on 2nd October 1869 and so at the time of his death in January 1948, he was about 78 years and 4 months. Therefore if he was not assassinated by Nathuram Godse on this fateful day, there was no reason why he could not have lived for another 7 – 10 years. And if this was the case, then indeed the Naga story could have been very different.
Now, let us go into the details about the possible outcomes in the case of such an eventuality. An NNC delegation met Mahatma Gandhi on 19th July 1947 at Bhangi Colony, Delhi. In this meeting, Gandhi is said to have understood the position of the Nagas and said “The Nagas have every right to be independent. I believe in brotherhood of men, but I do not believe in force and forced unions. If you do not want to join the Indian Union, nobody would force you to do that”. This assurance from the father of the Indian nation certainly must have come as a big relief and encouragement to the Naga leaders.
Therefore, if Gandhi had really said these words on 19th July 1947, it would have been really interesting to see if he would hold on to these statements or backtrack on it had he lived for another 7 – 10 years. Gandhi is known to be a person who practiced what he preached and preached what he practiced. Even today Mahatma Gandhi continues to be such a revered and influential figure because his words and his actions had never been contradictory to one another. Indeed, Gandhi’s actions had always directly reflected his words. Therefore, personally I believe that it might not be easy for him to backtrack on something which he had already said. Moreover, Gandhi was also a person who always believed and relied upon his conscience. Indeed, he is believed to have said once that the greatest court and the greatest deliverer of justice is one’s own conscience. Therefore if his conscience tells him that the Nagas are not Indians and that the lands of the Nagas do not belong to India, then Gandhi would certainly not allow anybody to embark upon a forceful integration of the Nagas and Naga lands with India.
When Mahatma Gandhi returned to India from South Africa in 1915, he did not straightaway launch any political campaign or agitation in the country even though he was well aware of the situation and the oppression meted out to his people in their own country. Rather Gandhi took his own time and decided to undertake extensive tours across the country to see for himself first-hand the plight, the oppression, the struggles and the aspirations of his people. Only after these, Gandhi launched his political campaigns and movements in India. Also in August 1947, when all the national leaders of the country were in Delhi to celebrate and celebrating India’s independence and freedom, Gandhi was not even in Delhi. Indeed it is noteworthy that when India was celebrating its independence day, the dawn of a new era, in August 1947, the man who was largely responsible for this long-awaited freedom was walking barefooted in the riot affected areas appealing for peace and tolerance amongst the Hindu and Muslim brothers.
Therefore, keeping in mind these attributes of Mahatma Gandhi, it was also highly possible that he might even decide to visit the Naga hills himself in person had he lived for some more years.
The Nagas declared their Independence on 14th August 1947 but the Indian government refused to acknowledge this declaration. The NNC also conducted the famous Naga plebiscite on 16th May 1951 to prove once and for all that the Nagas had nothing to do with the new Independent India. Still India refused to acknowledge these aspirations of the Nagas. Likewise, the Nagas also refused to participate in the Indian elections which were attempted to be staged in the Naga hills as well in the early 1950s.
Therefore, if Gandhi had been alive in these early years of the 1950s, it was highly possible that the great Mahatma might decide to come to the Naga hills to witness for himself the situation and the political aspirations of the Nagas. And if a world renowned personality like Gandhi did come to the Naga hills, it would have certainly put the Nagas in the news and limelight and through this many would have come to know about the legitimate political aspirations of the Nagas. And once Gandhi saw for himself the uniqueness of the Naga race, history, culture, traditions, customs, attires, language and the consequent aspirations of our people, I believe he would have gone back and told the other Indian leaders that there was nothing Indian about the Nagas and such a declaration from him could have settled the issue once and for all. Moreover such a visit by this iconic figure of the 20th century would certainly remain as an unforgettable episode in the hearts and minds of the Nagas for generations to come.
Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of India, was exactly 20 years younger to Mahatma Gandhi. And so in the 1940s, when Gandhi was already in his 70s, it was Nehru who emerged as the new undisputed leader of India. But as long as Gandhi lived he continued to be the moral guide and the driving force of Indian politics. Till the end Gandhi’s political philosophies and ideas served as the guiding star and conscience-keeper of not only Nehru but all the major Congress leaders during those years.
Therefore, if this apostle of peace and non-violence had lived through the 1950s, I believe it would never have been possible for the Indian government led by Nehru to resort to such a violent and brutal military campaign against the Nagas as was done against us in the 1950s.
Therefore, in the light of the above discussions, I conclude that if Gandhi was not assassinated in January 1948 and if he had lived for another 7 – 10 years, most probably Nagaland would have been an independent and sovereign South East Asian nation today. And if the Nagas and Nagaland were recognized by India, Burma and the world as an independent and sovereign nation in the 1950s, I do not know whether our roads would still be filled with the latest Indian manufactured cars, whether our salaries would still be as handsome as the ones we receive today, whether most of our houses would still be as beautiful and magnificent as the ones today, whether our economic status would still be as stable and secure as they are today and whether our 21st century lives would still be as comfortable and versatile as they are today.
But for me, even if our houses are hay-covered and bamboo-made, even if our roads are not crowded with the latest cars, even if our salaries are not so handy and handsome as the ones we receive today, even if our economic status is not as stable and secure as they are today and even if our lives are not as comfortable and versatile as they are today ……….. Still then, the feeling and the pride that will come with being a citizen of an independent and sovereign Nagaland would be much more gratifying and satisfying than being called an Indian citizen in this puppet state of Nagaland…………….
