New York Times (May 14, 2012)
May 14, 2012, 4:15 AM
At 91, Politician Remembers the First Parliament
By HARI KUMAR
Hari Kumar for The New York Times
91-year-old Rishang Keishing at his residence in New Delhi, May 11,
2012.
Rishang Keishing, 91, sat as a member in India’s first Lok Sabha, the
lower house of Parliament, in 1952. Sixty years later he sits in Rajya
Sabha, the upper house of Parliament.
As India’s Parliament celebrates its 60th anniversary, Mr. Keishing is
the only person in India to hold that distinction.
Mr. Keishing comes from the conflict-ridden northeastern state of
Manipur and is a Christian and a Naga, one of the tribal groups in the
area.
His long political carrier encompasses six decades of Manipur state and
national politics including two five-year terms in the Lok Sabha, and
seven terms as a member of the Manipur state assembly, four times as
chief minister of the state. Most recently, he is serving his second
term as a member of the Rajya Sabha which expires in 2014. “The passion
of my life is to listen to the problems of people and try to resolve
them” said Mr. Keishing with a smile on his face during a recent
interview at his New Delhi government bungalow.
In addition to debating and passing legislation Mr. Keishing is still
fit enough to walk without a stick, talk without a hearing aid, read
(though he does need glasses) and write and deliver speeches. He lives
with his wife, children and grandchildren in Manipur and a government
house in New Delhi. He is a man of short height, small build and low
voice, but a long political carrier.
Mr. Keishing, an arts graduate, used to play football and athletics. He
did not consume any alcohol and tobacco in his life. “I do not have any
regrets in my life,” he said.
He remembers intercepting India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal
Nehru, in the corridors of Parliament, to ask him to meet Naga rebel
leaders. He also remembers how in 2008 he approached Sonia Gandhi, the
Congress party president, during a farewell dinner held to honor
retiring members to say goodbye. She told him the party had decided to
renominate him for a second term of Rajya Sabha. “I told Mrs. Gandhi
that I am too old now and I should retire from active politics” Mr.
Keishing said. “Mrs. Gandhi asked me to fly to Manipur next morning
and file my papers, and I could not say ‘no,’ ” he said.
Mr. Keishing was born in the village of Bungpa Khunou, close to the
Myanmar border. He worked as an interpreter and local guide for the
British Indian Army during World War II before joining politics. He
also worked as headmaster of a high school for two years.
Mr. Keishing began his political career as a member of Socialist party
and later joined the Congress at the time of India China war in 1962.
“I thought to strengthen the hands of Congress at the time of crisis.”
Reminiscing about the old days in the Lok Sabha, Mr. Keishing said, “At
that time Parliament was much more disciplined, with hardly any
disruptions, unlike today.” Then, he said, the “government would
respect opposition and the opposition would respect government. Nobody
would disobey the speaker.”
He said the frequent disruptions and adjournments in Parliament now
make him feel “disappointed.”
Asked what the secret is to his long political carrier, Mr. Keishing
said, “Do not do or say anything which harms others.”
After finishing his present tenure in 2014, he plans a complete
retirement. “It will be a definite goodbye after 2014” Mr. Keishing
said with a smile on his face
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