'Ready to sacrifice for the sake of solution of Naga political issue'
Our Correspondent
Kohima | January 10
Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Imkong L. Imchen while affirming that return of Chief Minister TR Zeliang led government was imminent even as State election general is held as per schedule, said “we are ready to sacrifice for the sake of solution of Naga political issue.”
Interacting with media persons here this afternoon, Imchen, who has been, since last year, propagating deferment of the 2018 State general election till solution is achieved, said, “TR Zeliang led government returning to power is imminent but we are prepared to forgo the chance so long as solution to Naga problem is concerned.”
The Minister also differed with the opinion of Centre’s Interlocutor for Naga Peace Talks, RN Ravi that Election Commission of India is an independent body. “Election Commission is a statutory constitutional body within the Constitution of India, therefore they are within the umbrella of the Government of India (GoI),” Imchen said.
Moreover according to Peoples Representation Act, he said, Election Commission has to seek the advice of the GoI to conduct any election. “If the GoI takes a position that the situation is not conducive to conduct election they have to comply,” he said. “So the learned Interlocutor’s contention that Election Commission as an independent body is not 100% correct position,” he said.
Reacting to a news item published in the local dailies today wherein Ravi had said that “the substantive issues have been by and large resolved,” Imchen said “we are not setting any particular deadline to the Government of India, but our position is let the GoI settle the political issue first and then conduct the elections”.
“To me, to defer one election on the part of GoI... we are only expressing out support to the negotiating parties to solve the Naga issue,” he said. “Till today, no individual nor any organisation, both political or social has disagreed with this proposal but there is only one uniform voice that for the sake of settlement of Naga political issue the impending election should be deferred to create a more conducive atmosphere for solving this political intricacies,” he said.
On Ravi’s statement that deferment of election in Nagaland was “unlikely unless sufficient substantive change in the facts on the ground. I believe an agreement resolving the Naga political issue could constitute such a change”, Imchen however said, “We are 100% in agreement with him (Ravi) so that substantive change in the facts on the ground can be created by deferring this coming election.”
Acknowledging that the peace process is at an advance stage, Imchen said, “Our position in this context is that in any given election there use to be number of new emerging issues which we fear may result into obstruction in the peace process.”
“All Nagas are having serious concern over the Naga political issue for more than 7 decades and their desire to solve this issue is loud and clear,” he affirmed, while also appealing to the Naga negotiating groups to “exhibit the diplomacy of give and take and also the principle of win-win situation for the parties”
He also expressed hope that the settlement of the Naga political issue will empower the Naga youths having diverse qualification to navigate their destiny freely.
Recalling the seriousness of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to resolve the vexed Naga issue, Imchen said “we (Nagas) cannot afford to miss this opportunity.”
.JPG)
