Guwahati: The National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM) has vehemently opposed the Indian government’s alleged attempts to mine resources in Nagaland, asserting the Naga people’s exclusive rights over their land and minerals.
NSCN-IM chairman Q. Tuccu, speaking at the 46th Naga Republic Day celebration in Hebron, accused the Central government of coveting Nagaland’s natural resources, including petroleum, coal, and various metals essential for industries and defense.
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He said, “Under no circumstances should we allow our mineral wealth to be exploited by our aggressor when they refused to respect the political rights of the Naga people.”
Tuccu specifically criticized the Centre’s “new attempt” to initiate petroleum exploration and extraction in the Mokokchung district, labeling it an intrusion on Naga sovereignty and a test of “our nerves without respecting our history and culture.”
He emphasized the Naga people‘s deep cultural connection to their land and resources, viewing it as a core part of their national identity.
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He praised the Ao Naga community’s opposition to petroleum exploration, echoing their stance that the land belongs to the Nagas, not the Indian government.
Tuccu also accused India of deliberately delaying a resolution to the long-standing Naga political issue, alleging that the government has used “divisive politics” to weaken the NSCN-IM’s negotiating position.
“For more than 27 years when Indo-Naga political talks started, India has gone deep into playing divisive politics to keep the Nagas divided on factional lines. The truth is India wants to lessen the weight of the NSCN in the negotiation table for Naga political solution,” he said.
He claimed the creation of the Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs), a rival conglomerate of Naga rebel groups, was a tactic to undermine the 2015 Framework Agreement between the NSCN-IM and the Indian government.
The NNPGs signed the “Agreed Position” with the Indian government in 2017, which Tuccu alleges, is an attempt to confuse the Nagas.