DIMAPUR, JUNE 8 (MExN): The Nagaland Congress has explained its position on a range of questions particularly on the Naga political issue after Home Minister Imkong L. Imchen had commented in a press statement that the Congress in Nagaland had “already diluted the Naga political issue and filtered it to a mere law and order problem”. In a press note earlier, the Home Minister had stated that the NPCC had tried to belittle the Naga people issue by terming it only as a mere law and order problem. In a lengthy discourse on the Naga issue, the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) pointed out some of its achievements. “The Naga Peoples’ Convention (NPC), the front-runner of Nagaland Nationalist Organization (NNO) and the Congress brought about Statehood in 1960 by signing the 16-point agreement with the GoI”, stated the press note.
The NPCC also listed the Ceasefire agreement between the GoI and Federal Government of Nagaland (FGN) informing that this was signed during the NNO (the front runner of Congress) Govt. in Nagaland and Congress Govt. in Delhi in September 1964. Further it stated that it was “the prayer of NPCC to former Prime Minister of India, Late Rajiv Gandhi to offer ‘Talk without pre-condition’ to the Naga political groups” that on 19th May 1991 two days before he was assassinated in Sriperumpudur in Tamil Nadu, Late Rajiv Gandhi “committed to the Nagas at Dimapur local ground to talk without pre-condition if voted to power”.
After his death when the Congress was voted to power, the Congress in 1991 under the leadership of Dr. S. C. Jamir as the Chief Minister persuaded the then Prime Minister Late P.V. Narasimharao to offer talk without pre-condition, stated the NPCC Media Cell press note. Accordingly on 22nd February 1996, Narasimharao landed in Naga soil at Dimapur and offered “talk without pre-condition”, stated the NPCC pointing out that the former Congress PM “recognized the Naga problem as political problem that needed political solution” and that it “opened a new dimension in Naga political issue and brought it to the right perspective”.
Further it was “under Congress Govt. in Nagaland under the Chief Ministership of Dr. S.C. Jamir that on 25th July 1997, ceasefire was announced which became effective from 1st August 1997”, stated the NPCC. Likewise, talk without pre-condition with NSCN/GPRN was brought to the Ministerial level in UPA-I which was led by Oscar Fernandez, the then Union Minister, the NPCC reminded.
On the other hand, the NPCC has questioned as to what achievements have been made by Regional party under the names and style of Democratic Party (DP), United Democratic Front (UDF), Naga National Democratic Party (NNDP), Nagaland People’s Council (NPC) and Naga Peoples’ Front (NPF). The NPCC stated that the only contribution of the regional party was the Shillong Accord signed on 11th November 1975. It went on to explain that the “UDF (the front-runner of NPF) in 1977 State general election in its manifesto had proudly claimed Shillong Accord as its achievement” and that the “Regional party was even afraid to disown the terms of Shillong Accord”. Shillong Accord sharply divided the Nagas and became the mother of all fratricidal killings, the NPCC explained.
Meanwhile the NPCC has also stated that as the two opposing political parties, the Congress and the NPF have nothing in common as far as the political ideologies and principles are concerned. However, on Naga political issue, it appears that despite having formed the Joint Legislators’ Forum (JLF), the NPF has either a hidden agenda or it is trying to impose its perspective on the Congress, stated the press note. “Else, there was no reason as to why both the Chief Minister and the Home Minister should talk about NPF and Congress of having different perspective and agenda on Naga political issue”, stated the NPCC while questioning as to whether the objective of forming the JLF on Naga political issue was to remove such differences and find a common ground.
The NPCC has also reiterated that it is no longer relevant to draw a parallel between the 16-point agreement and the Bedrock of Naga Society. As per the NPCC, it was categorically stated by the Congress in presence of all Nagas at Kohima local ground on August 31, 2005 that Bedrock of Naga Society was a closed chapter. The NPF had not raised any objection or demanded explanation from the Congress on that day, the NPCC stated. “The Naga people including the NPF had accepted the Congress’ public declaration. This amply proved that the chapter was closed. It is no longer an issue to the NPCC”.
The NPCC also listed the Ceasefire agreement between the GoI and Federal Government of Nagaland (FGN) informing that this was signed during the NNO (the front runner of Congress) Govt. in Nagaland and Congress Govt. in Delhi in September 1964. Further it stated that it was “the prayer of NPCC to former Prime Minister of India, Late Rajiv Gandhi to offer ‘Talk without pre-condition’ to the Naga political groups” that on 19th May 1991 two days before he was assassinated in Sriperumpudur in Tamil Nadu, Late Rajiv Gandhi “committed to the Nagas at Dimapur local ground to talk without pre-condition if voted to power”.
After his death when the Congress was voted to power, the Congress in 1991 under the leadership of Dr. S. C. Jamir as the Chief Minister persuaded the then Prime Minister Late P.V. Narasimharao to offer talk without pre-condition, stated the NPCC Media Cell press note. Accordingly on 22nd February 1996, Narasimharao landed in Naga soil at Dimapur and offered “talk without pre-condition”, stated the NPCC pointing out that the former Congress PM “recognized the Naga problem as political problem that needed political solution” and that it “opened a new dimension in Naga political issue and brought it to the right perspective”.
Further it was “under Congress Govt. in Nagaland under the Chief Ministership of Dr. S.C. Jamir that on 25th July 1997, ceasefire was announced which became effective from 1st August 1997”, stated the NPCC. Likewise, talk without pre-condition with NSCN/GPRN was brought to the Ministerial level in UPA-I which was led by Oscar Fernandez, the then Union Minister, the NPCC reminded.
On the other hand, the NPCC has questioned as to what achievements have been made by Regional party under the names and style of Democratic Party (DP), United Democratic Front (UDF), Naga National Democratic Party (NNDP), Nagaland People’s Council (NPC) and Naga Peoples’ Front (NPF). The NPCC stated that the only contribution of the regional party was the Shillong Accord signed on 11th November 1975. It went on to explain that the “UDF (the front-runner of NPF) in 1977 State general election in its manifesto had proudly claimed Shillong Accord as its achievement” and that the “Regional party was even afraid to disown the terms of Shillong Accord”. Shillong Accord sharply divided the Nagas and became the mother of all fratricidal killings, the NPCC explained.
Meanwhile the NPCC has also stated that as the two opposing political parties, the Congress and the NPF have nothing in common as far as the political ideologies and principles are concerned. However, on Naga political issue, it appears that despite having formed the Joint Legislators’ Forum (JLF), the NPF has either a hidden agenda or it is trying to impose its perspective on the Congress, stated the press note. “Else, there was no reason as to why both the Chief Minister and the Home Minister should talk about NPF and Congress of having different perspective and agenda on Naga political issue”, stated the NPCC while questioning as to whether the objective of forming the JLF on Naga political issue was to remove such differences and find a common ground.
The NPCC has also reiterated that it is no longer relevant to draw a parallel between the 16-point agreement and the Bedrock of Naga Society. As per the NPCC, it was categorically stated by the Congress in presence of all Nagas at Kohima local ground on August 31, 2005 that Bedrock of Naga Society was a closed chapter. The NPF had not raised any objection or demanded explanation from the Congress on that day, the NPCC stated. “The Naga people including the NPF had accepted the Congress’ public declaration. This amply proved that the chapter was closed. It is no longer an issue to the NPCC”.
