Dimapur: The working committee of the Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs) accused the opposition-less government in Nagaland of creating so “much friction” within Naga tribes. It said the government of India is being misinformed on “matters on the ground”.
In a statement, the committee said the overwhelming demand of the people for an early solution to the Naga issue is being ignored.
“The narrative is being shrewdly manipulated to electoral narrative from political solution,” it said.
The committee stressed that “90 years of unresolved British-Indo-Naga issue is more important than an election”. The Assembly election in Nagaland is due early next year.
According to it, the four-point resolution adopted by 60 MLAs of the state assembly on July 16, 2022, gave a clear lucid signal to the government of India that the Naga tribes, state government, apex civil societies and common people were prepared for a political solution.
“However, the resolution was not meant to officially reach the PMO or the office of the home minister of India. It was a mere exercise to fool the Naga people,” it said.
The committee added that on July 26, 2022, the ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) and BJP betrayed the Naga people with a 40-20 pre-poll alliance.
Pointing to the August 5 rally in Dimapur for an early Indo-Naga solution, it said: “Shockingly, some elected members pressurized their own tribal bodies to desist from attending the rally for Naga political solution.”
The committee accused chief minister Neiphiu Rio of trying to keep the 90-year-old British-Indo-Naga conflict on the backburner and wear a CM crown for another five years partnering with the BJP.
It hoped that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not succumb to such “temptations” primarily because the Nagas believe that it has been his personal mission to amicably and honourably solve the decades-old Indo-Naga issue during his time.
Saying that all entities concluded the talks on October 31, 2019, the committee said it took the apex tribal bodies into confidence and negotiated with the government of India.
“There is no question of negotiating for Nagas of Nagaland alone. It is for propagandists to whine on,” it said.