Moa Jamir
Morung Express News
From mustering courage to disrupt Nehru in Parliament to observing a memorable duel in the United Nation between US and Russia over Cuba to serving as a Governor during Modi’s regime, the eventful political career of Dr. Senayangba Chubatoshi Jamir presents rare insights into the historic events in past 5 decades.
Popularly known by the honorific SC Jamir, he was thrust into politics right after his graduation from Allahabad University in 1958 and since then fate conspired with political acumen to put him right at the core of national and state politics.
Such narratives are recounted vividly in his autobiography, “A Naga’s Quest for Fulfillment,” which was released recently.
Into the National Arena
One of the signatories to the 16 Point Agreement in 1960 that resulted in the creation of the State of Nagaland as the sixteenth State of India, SC Jamir was a member of the Interim Body of Nagaland which bestowed him the distinction of being the first Member of Parliament from the State of Nagaland.
Thus he was appointed as Parliamentary Secretary (PS) to the First Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, in 1962 giving him the opportunity to observe the unfolding event from close quarters.
However, Jamir admits that he still does not know who suggested his name and why; and most importantly, why ‘Panditji’ chose a novice like him – to the privileged position.
In the power corridor, initially, Jamir said he was clueless about any intellectual and political challenges that play out in national politics. Luckily, he had his ‘Godfather’ Late. Jairam Das Daulatram, the former Union Minister and Governor, as his neighbor under whose apprenticeship he became ‘Parliamentarian’ in a true sense of the word.
Why India did not join any Bloc
The year 1962 was the height of polarization with the world divided into two blocs - the Western Blocs lead by the United States and Eastern Bloc led by erstwhile USSR.
As a PS to the Prime Minister, Jamir had ‘unhindered access’ to him. “What were the reason that forbade India from joining any of the two power blocks (sic),” he remembered asking Nehru once, asserting that India as emerging nation would gain immensely by joining either of the two.
Calming down an agitated Jamir, Nehru explained his plan and vision of India saying, “Can India afford to join the arms race at this juncture? Is infrastructure the need of the hour or mindless spending of limited resources on militarization?”
Nehru elaborated that if India joins any of the blocs, her foreign policy would not be free. “India had to chart her own course.”
The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), he writes, arose out of political as well as the global necessity of some nations who were underdeveloped and developing.
Why India voted for Chinese UNO membership despite 1962
Panditji’s views on China were simple and forthright, Jamir recalled. It was prudent for India to develop friendly ties with her powerful neighbor as it would be extremely difficult to protect her entire boundary at that period.
Thus, Nehru enunciated that ‘Panchsheel’ or the Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence would form the basis of all future relations with China.
The “furious and unprovoked” 1962 Chinese aggression stunned and infuriated whole of India and debunked Nehru’s lofty slogan of “Hindi-Chini Bhai-Bhai.” Panditji erred in believing that “philosophies could determine a nation’s plan policy and principle,” Jamir said.
At this crucial juncture, the issue of Chinese admission into UNO came up at General Assembly. India’s permanent representative to UN, BN Chakravarthy summoned all the Members of delegation together and unanimously decided to vote against Chinese admittance, Jamir recounted.
As Political Advisor to the delegation, Jamir told the meeting that Nehru might not agree with their decision. A cable was quickly sent and showing ‘exemplary magnanimity and brave heart’ Nehru directed the member to vote for the resolution, he added.
An Interesting Duel
During the same year, 1962 Cuban Missile crisis erupted and the Security Council met at midnight (October 25, 1962) to deliberate on the issue. Global attention shifted from Indo-China War to an imminent American-Russian showdown, Jamir wrote.
Jamir recalled a hot argument between the US and Russian representative – Adlai Stevenson and Valerian Zorin (wrongly attributed as Gromyko in the book) observed with a pin drop silence in the gallery, where the former accused the latter with maps showing alleged location of missiles in Cuba.
Maintaining a deadly silence during the long allegation, the Russian curtly replied, “This is not a courtroom for cross-examination,” thus demolishing the arguments by his counterpart.
Incidentally, it was also during his UN years when VK Krishna Menon purchased Jamir his first “high-quality suit” in New York.
Disrupting Nehru
During one parliament session, an MP from Assam asked whether Nehru was prepared to meet AZ Phizo, the then NNC president to which he gave an emphatic, Yes!
While Nehru did not have any ulterior motive, I raised an objection to PM’s reply for sidestepping the state government - the legitimate constitutional entity as well as him as an MP from Nagaland, Jamir claimed.
A risky and unprecedented action but Nehru saw the logic and he did not suffer any repercussions, Jamir maintained.
Lal Bahadur Shastri’s proposition
When Nehru died, Congress Party rank and files accepted Lal Bahadur Shastri as his likely successor. Jamir also retained his PS position. During this time, the Chief Minister of Nagaland along with Jamir and others met the Prime Minister for discussing Assam-Nagaland border issue.
Listening to their grievances, Shastri said he could not simply force Congress Government in Assam into doing or accepting something but suggested that they take up boundary issue as a part of political talk between Naga ‘underground’ and Government of India.
The proposition seemed unrealistic on the surface but perhaps on hindsight, it could have been the best course of action, Jamir said regretting that PM did not live to see his proposition through.
The Iron Lady of India
The untimely demise of Shastri in Tashkent put two contenders on fray for Prime Minister position– Moraji Desai and Indira Gandhi. During this time, the Party Chief Whip Satyanarayan Sinha ‘quietly’ told Jamir and D. Ering, the erstwhile NEFA MP to vote for Gandhi.
However, guided by our tribal instinct we voted for the male candidate, Jamir disclosed, which left the then Minister of Parliamentary Affairs scratching his head about the shortages of two votes from his assessment.
Despite misgiving, Jamir said, Indira proved everyone wrong and showed the “sort of urgency and efficiency that surprised even her opponents and die-hard critics.”
He was elected as the Union Deputy Minister for Railways as well as many other portfolios in her ministry.
Her biggest political test arose when some senior Congress leaders ganged up under an umbrella known as “Syndicate” and the real test came when Dr. Zakir Hussian died in his office.
The Syndicate supported N Sanjeva Reedy while Indira group tacitly support VV Giri, an independent, he wrote.
Still undecided, Jamir ‘instinctively’ sought clarification from Indira for whom to vote.
Her transformation as a shrewd and seasoned politician was evident when she hinted to support Giri while not categorically endorsing him, Jamir recalled.
The official candidate lost and Indira’s position was cemented.
Homeward bound
When Jamir lost his Lok Sabha election to A Kevichusa IAS (Retd) for his third term, he was offered the position as the High Commissioner of Australia but he decided to return to the State.
In 1971, Dr. SC Jamir entered state politics through a by-election from Mongoya Assembly Constituency and went on to serve as the Chief Minister of Nagaland for five times till 2003.
Later, he served as Governor of Goa and Maharashtra. While many of his UPA appointees were shunted out of office after the BJP-led government came to power, Jamir, who was appointed as a Governor of Odisha in 2013, continues till date.
