Centre asks Nagaland Govt to convince NSCN-IM to ink final solution to Naga political issue

The Centre has asked the all-party Nagaland government to convince NSCN-IM to ink the final solution to the protracted Naga political issue (NPI), state Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Neiba Kronu said on Monday. 

The message was conveyed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah to an 11-member delegation of the Nagaland government's Core Committee on NPI, led by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and Deputy Chief Minister Y Patton, during a meeting in Delhi on Monday, Kronu, who was among the delegates, said.

Shah was entrusted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to meet the Core Committee, which has been camping in Delhi since Wednesday, he said.

Kronu, who also holds the planning and coordination and land revenue portfolios, said the team submitted the July 16 resolution of the Core Committee and asked Shah to re-visit the contentious issues and bring a final solution.

It also reminded Shah of the BJP's "Election for Solution' slogan in the 2018 state election and urged him to work toward a conclusion to the Naga issue ahead of the next edition of the polls due early next year.

The delegation, he said, stressed a provision in the resolution which laid emphasis on the negotiating parties' arriving at a "mutually acceptable definition of competencies' to resolve the contentious issue at the earliest and bring about an "honorable, acceptable and inclusive' final solution.

As the talks had been officially concluded on October 31, 2019, Modi and Shah were urged upon by the Core Committee to invite the NSCN(IM) leaders for an early conclusion, he said.

The delegation included United Democratic Alliance (UDA) chairman T R Zeliang, its co-chairman Kuzholuzo Nienu, cabinet ministers G Kaito Aye, S Pangnyu Phom, Neiba Kronu and Tongpang Ozukum, advisors H Khehovi Yeptho and Phukhayi and MLA Khriehu Liezietsu, he said.

Asked if the meeting discussed the demand by NSCN(IM) for a separate flag and constitution for the Nagas, without the fulfilment of which the group is unwilling to accept a solution, Kronu, without divulging details, said that the Centre has asked the Nagaland government to convince the NSCN-IM to ink the final solution. The team will meet NSCN(IM) leaders on its return and try to convince them to accept the solution, he said.

The delegates had reportedly met the Centre's interlocutor in the Naga peace talks, A K Mishra, on Thursday, but details of it were not known as yet.

The Centre has been holding parallel peace parleys with NSCN-IM and the Working Committee of Naga National Political Groups (WC NNPG), which comprises at least seven Naga groups.

The talks with NSCN-IM started in 1997 following the signing of a ceasefire agreement, and the Framework Agreement was signed on August 3, 2015.

But NSCN(IM) 's a persistent demand for a separate flag and constitution has made the final solution elusive.

The WC NNPG, which started separate negotiations in 2017 and signed the Agreed Position in November same year, has, on the other hand, expressed its willingness to go ahead with a solution with whatever is possible now and continue discussing the remaining issues after it.

"Together with Hon'ble CM Shri @Neiphiu_Rio Ji and members of the Parliamentary Core Committee, had a meeting on the Naga Political Issue with Hon'ble Union HM Shri @AmitShah Ji and urged the GoI to bring about an early & honourable solution, in line with the people's aspirations", Deputy Chief Minister Y. Patton tweeted.

Together with Hon'ble CM Shri @Neiphiu_Rio Ji and members of the Parliamentary Core Committee, had a meeting on the Naga Political Issue with Hon'ble Union HM Shri @AmitShah Ji and urged the GoI to bring about an early & honourable solution, in line with the people's aspirations. pic.twitter.com/XxtCfyGevj

— Yanthungo Patton (@YanthungoPatton) September 12, 2022