Hours after the Modi government announced the historic Naga peace accord, leading journalist Shekhar Gupta posted on his Faceboook, "Just yesterday the Army spokesman reminded us of the heroism of Capt Eric James Tucker of Maratha Light Infantry, who won his Ashok Chakra fighting Naga rebels on this day in 1957. Look at it this way: It was a good month before I was born, and I will be 57 this year! That gives you an idea of how old the Naga insurgency is. It was India's first. It tested Nehru, was patronised by the Chinese once our border dispute became contentious. It was the inspiration for all other insurgencies in the Northeast, most significantly the Mizo, in very early 1966 when Indira Gandhi had just taken over.

"The Nagas are ferocious fighters and both tested and battle-trained the Army over these decades, developing healthy mutual, soldierly respect. The insurgency defied peacemaking efforts of Nehru and later of the Centre even through the good offices of Jayaprakash Narayan (JP) and Vinoba Bhave. Angami Zhapu Phizo, the 'president" of the so-called Naga Federal Government, controlled the rebellion from exile in London," he adds.

Gupta continues, "....The story of the rebellion and the first round of peacemaking was brilliantly chronicled by Late Nirmal Nibedon with his sadly out of print classic, 'Nagaland: The Night of the Guerrillas'.

"Thuingaleng Muivah and close comrade Isak Chishi Swu were then more ideologically left, younger, and unwilling to make peace. They were also much closer to the Chinese and wanted a sovereign socialist Nagaland. They continued their insurgency though never on the same scale as before. Since the Tangkhul are from Manipur, they also opened another front there.

"Today's agreement ends this chapter. There are no major groups left now. The NSCN (K) faction is Myanmar-based and even they are negotiating with their government to join the mainstream.

"There are many challenges with governance in the N-E. But Naga separatism is now history, and the sacrifice of Capt Eric James Tucker and thousands more after him has borne fruit. It's a truly wonderful day for India," concludes.

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