Regional parties serve common man’s cause better: Brig. Sailo (1986)

Regional parties serve common man’s cause better: Brig. Sailo
(SENTINEL: 24 January, 1986)

With the fourth Assembly elections in the Union Territory of Mizoram due in the month of April, The Sentinel decided to meet several political leaders in Mizoram to find out about their election plans. Today we carry excerpts from the 45-minute long exclusive interview NITON A GOKHALE had with the Chief Minister, Brig T. Saio, at Aizawl on Friday.

Q: Looking back at the first 5-year term that your Ministry is about to complete, how would you rate your performance and what do you think are the major achievements?
Ans: I will say the showing has been reasonably good. We have at least been able to make a meaningful beginning as regards our basic needs such as self sufficiency in food, adequate supply of drinking water, and production of hydel power. This was not done before. We have identified the priorities and have proceeded in that direction.

Q: So, while seeking the people's mandate for the third rime, what will your Party offer the common man?
Ans: We would like to tell them to give us a chance to build on the good beginning we have made in implementing the deve¬lopmental plans.

Q: In effect this will be you Party's campaigning slogan for the forthcoming elections?
Ans: I don't believe in campa¬igning just 2 or 3 months before the elections and telling the people a whole tot of lies. We have been campaigning for the last five years through our work. And since I'm a 100 per cent politician I like to show results.

Q: What about the MNF issue?
Ans: We stand by our policy that there should be an end to the insurgency in Mizoram thro¬ugh peaceful means with mini¬mum use of force.

Q: In this context how do you view the role of the security forces?
Ans: The common man and the Army have come much closer now and no longer do they distrust each other. This was not there before and I think this is our greatest achievement.

Q: But one of the Opposition parties, the Mizo Convention (MC) maintains that you came to power by criticising the Army.
Ans: They are twisting the facts. I criticised the strong arm measures employed by the Army. I have always said that the Army should take the people into confidence while tackling the insurgency. We have succeeded tremendously in that respect. Now the situation is under comp¬lete control and people prefer this peace.

Q: Coming to the Chakma infiltration, what measures has your government taken to solve the problem?
Ans: The Army and the BSF battalions have been deployed at the border areas to detect and push back the post-‘7I entrants and we are following the Centre's guidelines in this regard.

Q: Is this problem similar to the Assam issue?
Ans: To a lesser extent, yes. In Assam the infiltration has been going on for a long period and hence the magnitude of the problem is much greater. If we don't take steps now we may face the same situation later.

Q: So where does the solution lie in this respect?
Ans: You see the construction of barbed wire fencing is all right in theory but it is not at all practicable. To effectively check the infiltration there should be more jeepable tracks near the border and the distance between the check posts should not be more than 4 or 5 km.

Q: How do you view the recent decision of the All Assam Students Union IAASU) to form a regional party?
Ans: I think it is a step in right direction. .What Assam needs now is a strong and stable regional party to fulfill the aspirations of the people

Q: It means that you also favour the regional parties to the national ones?
Ans: Yes. What is wrong in that? In fact I strongly feel that a stable regional party with a national outlook like our own People's Conference will serve the cause of the common man better than the so-called national parties. Every state wants to keep its ethnic identity, land and religion intact. But this does not mean that we are anti-national.

Q: How about Statehood for Mizoram?
Ans: It is long overdue, and it has been our Party's demand right from the beginning.

Q: You spoke about keeping the ethnic identity intact. So if Statehood is granted will your Party also demand some Constitu¬tional safeguards as in case of J & K?
Ans: No. We would be satisfied with the implementation of Art. 371 A of the Constitution.

Q: Do you envisage any role for the Chief Ministers of the N-E States in solving the problem in Assam?
Ans: It would be preposterous on my part to say that 1 can help in solving the vexed issue. So many brilliant people have tried their hand and have failed. 1 will not like to do such a thing.

Q: You were invited to the Opposition conclave at Calcutta. Any special reasons for keeping away?
Ans: No special reasons. I was just busy here.

Q: Or were you afraid of antagonising Mrs Gandhi?
Ans: Why should I be afraid, of her. Besides, being a very small State I don't think my presence would have made am difference.
Q: Has your government laced any difficulties regarding funds from the Centre?
Ans: No. None al all.

Q: One last question. Do you think your Party will be adversely effected by the recent resignation of the Education Minister and his consequently joining the Congress-I?
Ans: There is no question of any adverse effect since no one has followed him.