The Nagaland unit of Janata Dal (United) (JD) (U) has decided to stage a sit-in at the party head office in New Delhi on July 9 next to press the Centre to expedite talks for early settlement of the decades-old Indo-Naga political issue which has been hanging fire for years together.
The decision to stage the sit-in was taken in Kohima on June 1 last, stated the Nagaland JD (U) president, Senchumo NSN Lotha, to media persons in Kohima on Tuesday evening.
Lotha said pursuing an early settlement of the Naga political issue was part of the party’s manifesto during the last Assembly elections and that it would keep pressing New Delhi to find a solution to the vexed issue over which successive Governments have been “dragging their feet”.
He said the party had incorporated in its last Assembly election manifesto to continuously support “an honourable and acceptable solution” to the Indo-Naga peace process at the earliest.
The decision to stage the sit-in was taken with the objective to “exigently demand” for a solution within the earliest time possible, he stated. Lotha said the idea to hold the demonstration was part of suggestions given by the party chief and Bihar Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar, who was “committed to an early solution” to the Naga political issue.
The Nagaland JD (U) general secretary, Kitoho S Rotokha, pointed out that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement to settle the Naga issue in 18 months when he assumed office and the Framework Agreement signed in 2015 were yet to be fructified. Therefore, he said the proposed demonstration was to impress upon the PM to live up to his word and also to demand tabling of the draft of the final Naga peace deal during the forthcoming Monsoon Session of the Parliament.
Towards this end, he appealed to all political parties, both regional and national, to impress upon their respective leaders to pursue the matter. The JD (U) said that a team would also be seeking appointment with leaders of the negotiating groups in New Delhi.