State govt delaying rollout of solution on Naga Political Issue: K Therie of NPCC
The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) president K Therie has demanded the Centre and state government to come clear on the Naga Political Issue, alleging that while claims have been made that negotiations have concluded, the scene in the state, however, says otherwise.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi had declared that Naga Political Issue has been resolved. The Nagaland governor and interlocutor, RN Ravi, too had announced that talks have concluded. If that is so, why is it taking so long to implement the solution?” Therie asked.
Therie told The Northeast Today (TNT) on Saturday that when the issue was discussed between the Centre and Isak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM), the demand for a separate flag and constitution was not agreed upon and it was said that the same would be taken up for discussion post-agreement.
When the Centre signed a Framework Agreement with NSCN (IM) in 2015, the parliamentary standing committee had interpreted that settlement will be within the Union of India and interstate boundaries would not be changed.
Accusing the Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio of contracting the PM’s announcement of a resolved Naga issue, the Congress chief said, “Today the CM said the flag, constitution, and integration issue would be pursued post-agreement. What do you mean by agreement? The PM said that the agreement was signed, now where is the implementation?”
Lambasting the People’s Democratic Alliance (PDA) government in Nagaland for ignoring the Congress in the discussion, Therie said as one of the Opposition parties in the Parliament, the Congress should have been consulted but, it was not done.
He also alleged the ruling party – the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) of adopting a “delay tactic” in implementing the political solution, “which is lying in cold storage”.
“There is no political will because the implementation of the political solution would be detrimental to their annual income, which was achieved through extortion, amounting to almost Rs 300 crore every year. They don’t want a solution because they don’t want to miss out on that revenue,” Therie alleged.
Commenting on the integration issue, the State Congress president said “emotional integration” is no longer a topic of discussion. “There can be no emotional integration because we have seen too many deaths and suffering. Without integration of land, we cannot have pan Naga Hoho.”
While the issue is not a problem in Nagaland, Therie said the NSCN (IM) has to find a solution for the Nagas of Manipur as well. “We cannot win their hearts, nor can the government of India. You have to do it on your own,” he added.
It may be reminded that the Nagaland assembly had on Tuesday adopted a five-point resolution calling for various Naga political groups to come together and to expedite the peace process while the NSCN(IM) registered its protest against the Centre’s “silence” on the Framework Agreement which they had signed six years ago to resolve the Naga issue.
Besides the NSCN (IM), which has been in a ceasefire agreement with the Centre since 1997, a conglomeration of seven different Naga national political groups (NNPGs) was also involved in separate talks with the Centre since 2017.
The signing of the final deal on the Naga peace process has been delayed due to the NSCN (IM)’s demand for a separate Naga flag and constitution.
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