Rishang Keishing, the last man among the first batch of parliamentarians, who was once a fixture in both houses of the parliament, died on Tuesday. He was 98. His life was full of controversies, ups and down.
He was inducted into the Indian National Congress by none other than first prime minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, in 1962. He joined Congress at a time when India was at a critical moment; in the 1962 war with China. Interestingly, he died amid rising tension between the two nations.
A Naga by birth, Keishing was a member of the first Lok Sabha in 1952, when he won from a constituency in Ukhrul district of Assam—now in Manipur—after his violent protests for Manipur statehood.
He was a student of Calcutta University before that. An expert in javeline and other athletics events, Keishing was attracted to the games from a young age.
“But I wanted to raise my voice for the statehood of Manipur,” he told me when I met him at his residence in Imphal in March this year. Manipur got statehood much later, in 1972.
Manipur is known for excellence in sports and Keishing was not exaggerating when he was saying, "I could have made it big in sports".
His stature in Manipur grew once he became a star campaginer for seperate statehood for Manipur. He was arrested several times. That led the socialist party then to give him a ticket during first election of independent India.
“And I was really surprised when I won. I was really up for a sporting contest,” said he.
That was the beginning of a grand innings. Keishing created ruckus inside the parliament. He raised the issue of statehood of Manipur, asking Pandit Nehru to look at the Naga problem.
During the same time, Naga socialist upsurge under the leadership of Phizo started gathering momentum. Kieshing brought the issue to the attention of Nehru, who was then preoccupied to a large extent.
"In fact, there was a time when I had an altercation with Nehru on the issue," he said.
But he liked Nehru the most.
“He is such a great personality, but a down to earth human being. I was driven to Congress as I was moved by his personality. When everyone was trying to criticise him for China war, I thought it would be right time to stand by him. I did and so I joined the Congress,” said Keishing.
After Nehru's death, he received the same prominence from Indira Gandhi.
“It was Indira Gandhi who made me chief minister in 1980,” said Keisang.
However, he felt that Rajiv was a political novice and not matured like Indira was.
Keishing was part of a internal squabble in the Congress in late eighties when Rajiv Gandhi listened to dissidents and asked him to step down.
“I told Rajiv he would have to be matured enough to take hard decision. He should not listen to a coterie in his office,” said he.
Keishing did not quit Congress, but moved out of the limelight for a year.
Rajiv understood his “fault” that Keising was part of a big turmoil in state party in Manipur. Keishing was brought back to parliament as a Rajya Sabha member.
After Rajiv's death, when P.V. Narshimha Rao became prime minister, Keising saw another Nehru in Rao's style of function and boldness.
“What a prime minister he was! Same brilliance as of Nehru, Rao never thought twice to take bold decision. He was a courageous prime minister and man of high stature,” was the words Keising used for Rao.
“If Naga problem is today on the verge of solution, then it was Narsimha Rao because he initiated all that which is happening now,” said he.
Among the opposition politicians, he liked Atal Bihari Vajpayee. But he never liked his party.
“I am Christian. I except someone should not hate my religion. BJP does it. But Vajpayee not like them. He was completely different,” said he.
Keishing was admitted to a hospital on August 16 and died on August 22.
