ABSTRACT
This chapter sets out to shed some light on the actors in the Nehruvian era, in order to explicate in detail that, despite claims at the centre for unity in diversity, the policy was to pursue unity violently and eradicate diversity. In the case of the Nagas, the initial strategy was to give verbal assurances about constitutional safeguards, but not implementing them. That was to ensure that the Naga hills, as a separate unit, would cease to exist following the first post-independence decade. Once the Nagas protested, the Indo-Assamese agents sent out contradictory signals of appeasement and imposition, not allowing for a clear counter-position. When the Nagas finally returned to their original demand for immediate independence and continued to insist upon it, the Assamese administration sent its paramilitaries to make the Nagas change their minds. This terror campaign backfired and Shillong had to ask Delhi for the assistance of the Indian army that was subsequently committed to it by Nehru. The Indian army, unable to break the resistance and itself hard pressed, started a genocidal campaign that also did not achieve the objective. Thus, the GOI, via its intelligence bureau, created, with the cooperation of some Nagas, a pro-Indian faction that was to head a future Naga unit which, soon after, was transformed into a state of the Indian Union. This move was destined to split the Nagas. As this also proved to be ineffective, Nehru, in the last month of his life, allowed for some initiatives that resulted in a genuine ceasefire which, though not ending the war, was to give the Naga population some breathing time.
