Dimapur: Nagaland minister for higher and technical education Temjen Imna Along, who is also the state BJP president, said everyone knows that a separate Naga flag and constitution is not achievable.
Participating in the discussion on the Naga political issue in the Assembly on Monday, Along said during a meeting where chief minister Neiphiu Rio was also present, Union home minister Amit Shah categorically stated separate flag and constitution can never be given.
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Along made the statement a day after NSCN-IM chairman Q Tuccu said there can be no solution to the Naga issue without a separate Naga flag and constitution.
According to Along, the main issue why the settlement is not coming if the Naga political talks have been completed.
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“Today our people are afraid to speak the truth and the civil societies are divided because of the need to please one or the other group in order to avoid confrontations,” the BJP leader observed.
He stressed the need to make compromises at the negotiating table and come to a common ground for the sake of the people. He said the government of India, also being under the Constitution of India, can never agree to anything that is beyond the purview of the Constitution.
Along also said 60 elected members of the Assembly represent the aims and aspirations of all the people of Nagaland as a whole and that their role as facilitator is ever so important.
He emphasised the need to come to an understanding to settle the vexed Naga political issue so that the people can live in peace and prosperity and witness good governance. This will also allow the people to grow together with the nations of the world, he added.
Along appealed to the legislators to ‘speak sense’ to the Naga political groups and go for a solution.
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Participating in the discussion, Rio appealed to the negotiating parties to come together and arrive at a settlement.
He said, “If a settlement cannot come, then there should be fresh mandate by the people on how to pursue the Naga political issue.
With the government of India recognising it as a political issue and former prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee declaring it as unique and that being the basis of negotiation, Rio said the elected members of the Assembly, other Naga leaders, churches and even youth need to be included in it. He also reiterated that the issue should be pursued through non-violence.