Morung Express News
Dimapur | September 4
After the series of ‘reconciliation’ meetings of the Naga “national” groups, it is now the turn of “overground” electoral politicians to sit together and deliberate on the “Naga political issue.” All political parties in Nagaland including the ruling NPF and its ally NCP, independents as well as opposition Congress legislators have given positive responses to the meeting of all the NLA legislators. A meeting for September 8 has been scheduled by the State Legislative Assembly “for considering the magnitude of the issue.”
And perhaps for the first time, all the sixty legislators will be setting aside party differences and petty politics and speak out individual minds on the protracted Naga issue. Although political leaders declined to comment on whether any concrete resolution would be adopted in the meeting, most of them are optimistic that something substantive would emerge from the expectedly no-holds-barred discussion.
NPF president and Minister for Urban Development Dr. Shürhozelie said that the proposed meeting, which was discussed in the last assembly session and approved by all the legislators, would allow each and every legislator, irrespective of party colors, to speak their minds on the issue. “I am hopeful that when we come together, we may not be very far from one another when we meet and discuss the issue in a frank and open manner,” the veteran regionalist said.
On the NPF’s repeated statement that the party is ready to relinquish power in the event any solution is arrived at, on the Naga issue, Shürhozelie said, “It’s a commitment and we stand by it. We have already submitted in written to the prime minister that in the event of any political settlement arrived at, we are ready to pave the way any day, anytime.”
The opposition Congress too seems to be warming up for the meeting. Congress Legislature Party leader Chingwang Konyak said that in fact he was the first person to raise this issue in the last budget session. On whether the Congress party would be putting up a common voice in the meeting, Chingwang replied in the negative and said this time all legislators would express their personal and individual views. The CLP leader also said that the party had always expressed the desire for “unity and reconciliation” among Nagas.
NCP president and Agriculture minister Dr. Chumben Murry said the two NCP legislators would also attend the meeting purely as Naga-elected legislators and not on party lines. The Naga political issue is a “common issue,” he explained. Independent legislator K Hollohon, who is currently in Zunheboto, said he will not miss the meeting as it would be an opportunity for political leaders to come together and deliberate on the protracted Naga issue. He also said it was high time for public and “overground” politicians to discuss the Naga issue without fear or favor.
Also, both the NPF and Congress parties have acknowledged the initiative of the Forum for Naga Reconciliation to bring the Naga underground groups to reconciliation. “It’s (reconciliation effort) a very good move, we have to give full support. They (FNR) brought our friends from the killing fields to the football ground. That in itself is a big step. We have to appreciate and give full support,” Shürhozelie said. In similar vein, Chingwang said, “If Nagas realize that they have to reconcile, then there’s nothing like it. Although I cannot predict future outcomes, the efforts of the FNR so far are very encouraging.”
