Dimapur: The working committee of the Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs) said the Naga political issue be best left to the Government of India and the Naga negotiators to find an honourable and acceptable political solution at the earliest.

The committee issued a statement in the wake of the Nagaland government holding consultations with the mass-based civil society organisations, church bodies, tribal hohos (bodies), political parties and NGOs on the issue in Kohima on Wednesday. The state government is not part of the negotiation between the Centre and the Naga groups.

Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!

“Any state-sponsored discussion on Naga political issue, outside this parameter, would be a misnomer and unqualified,” the statement said.

It said the subject of Naga political issue is best left to the government of India and the Naga negotiators, ‘mandated by the people’, to usher in honourable and acceptable political solution at the earliest. 

Also Read: Assam: BJP-AGP to form all three urban local bodies in Darrang

Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!

Instead, the committee asked the state government to focus on Nagaland state issues and governance.

Appreciating the effort of the state government as a facilitator to the negotiation, the committee said it is firm on the demand of all the apex tribal bodies of Nagaland, customary institutions and civil societies, made time and again, that the government of India ink an inclusive agreement without further delay since it and the Naga negotiating groups had concluded the political talks officially as on October 31, 2019, and the Naga tribes accepted this announcement.

Today’s consultative meeting also discussed elections to the urban local bodies with 33% reservation of seats for women but dropped two issues – Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition (NLTP) Act 1989 and Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act – scheduled earlier as per a notification on March 2.

Also Read: ‘Biological weapons developed in Ukraine’: Russia

The NNPGs appreciated the state government for taking the views of Nagaland’s tribes, civil societies and non-Naga indigenous communities on paramount issues confronting the state government and the people.

The committee said broad exchange of views on matters such as urban local body elections, AFSPA and the NLTP act is very important.