Madhumita Chakraborty
Vision Communications
Former Union Home Secretary G K Pillai favours setting up of a “State Re-organisation Committee” to go into the demands for creation of separate statehoods being voiced by various groups in different parts of the country in recent times.
In an exclusive interview with the Vision Commission at his New Delhi residence this week, Pillai categorically stated that “smaller states have the advantage of effective administration as well as speedy development.”
Justifying the creation of Telengana state Mr Pillai observed, “The timing of the creation of Telengana may not have been appropriate, but it was pending for long. In fact, the state reorganization committee had recommended for the separate Telengana state in fifties but then later Andhra Pradesh was created on the basis of Telegu language. But significantly, in the past six decades the people of Seemandhra failed to reduce the gap between these two regions. In fact the gap widened and the demand for a separate Telengana state was intensified.”
Pillai who has recently been appointed as the Chairman of the one-man commission by the Ministry of Home Affairs to recommend viability of a separate Bodoland state within Assam, will begin work once the new government is constituted. In the interview with Vision Communications Pillai said, “once the new government is formed and this one-man commission gets a go ahead, only then I shall start working on my new assignment. I will meet every sections within the Bodoland and outside and try to formulate a win -win formula so that every section feel satisfied.”
On the issue of recent intensified campaign for separate statehood by different tribes in the North East region, Mr Pillai held various state governments responsible for the present state of affairs. As for example, former Home Secretary blamed the West Bengal government for neglecting the overall development of the Darjeeling region as a result of which the people of Darjeeling today are demanding for a separate Gorkhaland state.
On the issue of ongoing peace talks between the Government of India and the NSCN-IM leadership, Pillai maintained, “The interlocutor R S Pandey has done excellent job to bridge the gap between the Government of India and the NSCN underground outfit. He has already recommended some options to resolve the six-and-a-half-decade old Naga political problem. Now the new government at the Centre and the Manipur government have to take the call. They have to decide which options are the best for everybody. Once they decide, those options have to be placed before other NSCN factions, Nagaland government, opposition, the village elders and the people of Nagaland and Manipur and take everybody with the decision to make the formula a success. The Manipur state’s boundary will remain intact. But the autonomy of the hill districts has to be guaranteed. Their customary law, culture and other aspects have to be protected. They have to be made equal partner in the process of development. The Centre and the Manipur government have to decide how to achieve this goal and what is the best option out of all the options recommended by the interlocutor.”
Replying to a question on China’s provoking incursion into Indian territory in recent times Pillai maintained, “a solution along the Indo-China international boundary is possible. At the technical level like the meeting of NSA chief with his Chinese counterpart , a broad understanding on how to go forward to resolve the long pending border dispute was agreed upon. But the government of the day has to take opposition and the media into confidence. We have to take a practical decision on this sensitive issue. We have to get out of the mindset of 1962 Parliament resolution that even an inch of our land on the border was not negotiable. It is no basis for negotiation.”
Pillai also talked about ongoing peace talks with ULFA outfit, his view on enactment of anti-racial Act and the recent attack on North East boys and girls in the national capital besides other important issues.
To see the full interview go to youtube and write “Interview with G K Pillai by Vision Communications.”
