Th. Muivah- RN Ravi
NSCN-IM leader Th. Muivah and (right) RN Ravi. File Image

The NSCN-IM termed the handling of Naga political issue by Centre’s interlocutor and Nagaland governor R.N. Ravi as “strange”.

“It matters Naga’s pride and identity. It matters Naga’s future and security. It matters Naga’s covenant with God,” said the NSCN-IM.

“And, this is the reason why Nagas are sentimentally attached with flag and constitution,” it added.

At a consultative meeting with primary stakeholders of Naga society in Kohima on October 18, Ravi said the NSCN-IM has adopted a procrastinating attitude to delay the Naga settlement raising the contentious symbolic issues of separate Naga national flag and constitution.

Also read: NSCN-IM firm on separate Naga national flag, constitution

Ravi said the outfit is fully aware of the government of India’s position regarding the issues of separate Naga national flag and constitution.

“Some NSCN (I-M) leaders are misleading the people on various media platforms with absurd assumptions and presumptions over what they have already agreed with the government of India,” he added.

NSCN-IM’s ministry of information and publicity issued a statement reacting to Ravi’s recent views.

Also read: Centre to conclude Naga peace process without delay: RN Ravi

The NSCN-IM alleged that the government of India machinated the use of primary stakeholders by adopting “yes men groups” and ignoring the others in going further to push the “Machiavellian handling” of Naga political issue.

It said in the absence of majority Naga tribal groups, these so-called primary stakeholders are not only a misnomer but also against the Nagas’ democratic practice.

“This is simply sowing the seed of division in the name of pushing Naga solution without getting the mandated blessing,” it added.

The outfit said the “political decency” and the “Naga sentiment” cannot be simply discarded into the “dustbin of flattery” in the name of going along with “contemporary reality”.

According to it, the “agreed principle” of honourable and acceptable solution to the Naga issue cannot be sidelined into oblivion under the pretext of compromising with “contemporary reality”, “which is a machination of the government of India to hoodwink the Nagas into submission”.

“Unfortunately, the government of India’s insincere approach has brought down the Indo-Naga political talks to this level,” the statement alleged.

Bhadra Gogoi is Northeast Now Correspondent in Nagaland. He can be reached at: [email protected]