Nuggets from Naga talks

Brig Sandeep Thapa

EVERY time the media speculates on the contents of the accord signed by NSCN (IM) with the Indian government, it takes me back to those 12 hours in the mezzanine floor of the Military Operations (MO) Directorate where history was first made by debating the proposal of talks with the NSCN.

It was the winter of 1997. I had been in MO Directorate for over two years. My section was dealing, amongst other things, with insurgency in NE states. Those familiar with the ‘seven sisters’ would know how insurgency has rocked all the states some time or the other. Naga insurgency was the mother insurgency, providing training and support.

NSCN (IM) was a very potent group and hence this was a historic opportunity to end this strife. It was not simple though; every time an accord was reached with one group, a breakaway faction would emerge and continue the armed strife. And hence, when this proposal was received from MHA, it was viewed with a sense of disbelief and caution.

The MO Directorate has no fixed hours, your presence in office was required whenever something occurred in your area of responsibility, which, given the country’s size and the Army’s deployment, was 12-14 hours daily. But a call from the duty officer at 8 pm, when you had just reached home and were preparing to reach out for your remote, was a first. “Sir, you are required in office” was the short message.

The entire team was present, my Director (Colonel then, later COAS) and GSO 1. Apparently a section of MHA had reached out to the leadership of NSCN with a peace proposal. The Raksha Mantri (Mulayam Singh Yadav) was to be briefed early next morning on the Army’s views and proposed modalities.

The DDG (Brigadier, retired as a PSO, followed by a stint as Governor) arrived in the next half hour, straight from a party, as was evident from his formal dress. I was at the computer while we decided what needed to be included. As the presentation started taking shape, our Additional DGMO also walked in and another discussion followed. The presentation was suitably tweaked. Around 11 pm, the DGMO dropped in. He approved the presentation layout with a few tips. Just as he was leaving, he remarked, “Arre bhai, the RM’s presentations are all in Hindi. Can we not make this in Hindi?”

Raksha Mantri Mulayam Singh Yadav understood and spoke English but preferred the mother tongue in official work. The only clerk who could type in Hindi was a civilian PA who stayed in Ghaziabad! So English it remained, much to my relief.

Accepting fait accompli, the DGMO’s parting question to the DDG (who would be presenting it to the RM) was, “How’s your Hindi?” “Sir, I am from Meerut” was the brief reply, which satisfied the DG.

Many familiar with Army presentations would know how back-up data slides are more than the actual matter. We finally finished the presentation at 5 am, working non-stop. “The Chief is coming at 7.30 am, the DGMO wants to see the presentation at 7 am, let’s go and change.”

We rushed back home and made it back 15 minutes before the DGMO. He saw the presentation and approved it, having given the broad parameters earlier. No sooner had he finished that the Chief walked in. A second round and discussion followed.

At dot 8 am, the RM, clad in crisp dhoti kurta, walked in with his entourage. As they settled down, the Chief asked him on how he would want the matter to be conducted. “Discuss karte hain,” said the RM. So a one-hour discussion followed.

Much to my dismay, not a single slide was shown. My hard work of the entire night stayed in the computer. I realised though that on issues of national security, a conceptual decision at macro level was required and not details. And a very vital historical decision was taken in that Ops Room that morning.

Tail piece: My director was a participant in the subsequent talks with the NSCN. The other side had a SS (self-styled) Brigadier of NSCN. “Not fair” was my crib to my director. “Sir, this guy was an SS Lt in the early 1980s. So was I and we operated against him. I am still a Major and he’s a Brigadier! Very unfair.”