A dedicated leader

The sudden, tragic and premature death of Rajesh Pilot in an automobile accident robbed the country of a dedicated and committed political leader of eminence whose ten years in public life as a people’s representative in the Lok Sabha was marked by rare distinctions earned through service to the backward, the dalits, the minorities and the disadvantaged. In the brief life span of barely fiftyfive years Pilot has achieved what politicians find it difficult to achieve even at the ripe old age. He was a devoted Congressman whose stints in office in the government under late Rajiv Gandhi and Sri P. V, Narasimha Rao were marked by rare success. His boldness and courage sometimes landed him into differences with the leader of the party to which he belonged or the government he had had the privilege to serve. He was shifted from the Home or Internal Security ministry by Prime Minister Narasimha Rao because he never hesitated to arrest the controversial god-man Chandraswami without caring for the proximity of Chandraswami with the then Prime Minister. The most important trait in his character was that the fear of displeasure of the leadership never deterred him from taking action he considered right and proper. Similarly there was no favouritism in him and that endeared him to the people in general and to the backward and the weaker sections in particular.

Rajesh Pilot’s contribution in the signing of the Assam Accord and the Bodo Accord is well known but few know his catalytic role in bringing the NSCN (I-M) into the negotiating table and the ceasefire during Prime Ministership of HD Deve Gowda. The NSCN (I-M)’s tribute to Pilot was significant as he was regarded as "one of the Indian politicians who really understood the Indo-Naga political problem and was outspoken and honest.’ His political honesty endeared him to different groups of misguided youngsters in various parts of the country who have chosen the path of extremism and violence, to talk to him freely and frankly even though his commitment to Indian unity and territorial integrity was never in question. With Assam and the North East he had a special bond of sympathy and understanding and in his death has been lost one who used to exercise a moderating influence in the larger interest of the country. His role was that of an interpreter between New Delhi and other parts of the country.

The Assam Tribune

United we stand

Equally surprising is the Central leadership’s phobia to admit that the insurgency problem in the North East is a national problem. The deployment of the Indian Army to counter militant groups in the region to counter their secessionist threat is a reality today which cannot be denied under the excuse of terming it as a law and order problem. Even eminent personalities and generals who had a first hand experience of the ground reality of the insurgency scenario in the region have called for a political solution. Insurgent outfits like the NSCN-(IM) which have declared a ceasefire and come forward for talks have done so on the explicit understanding that the talks would be held only with the Central leadership. Under the circumstances, the Central leadership’s reluctance to recognise the problem as one impinging on the security and national interest of the country is difficult to understand.

The Assam Tribune