• Centre has kept the country dark about the contents, nature and status of the peace dialogues
• Assures to support the ‘Naga Peace Accord’ if the contents of the agreement were in the interest of the Nagas, Northeast and the Nation’
Dimapur, February 19 (MExN): While ruling out a categorical support to ‘Naga Peace Accord,’ the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi today assured that it would support the same if the “the contents of the agreement were in the interest of the Nagas, Northeast and the Nation.”
According to a press communiqué from the Media Cell of the Chief Minister’s Office, Nagaland, the Congress President stated this when she met the delegation of Parliamentary Working Committee (PWC) of the Nagaland Joint Legislator’s Forum (JLF) on Naga Political Issue who called on her on February 19. Member of Parliament to Lok Sabha, Neiphiu Rio was also part of the delegation.
“We are not privy to the contents of the Naga peace accord and we cannot give a blank cheque of support as of now,” the Congress chief told the delegation.
According to the communiqué, Sonia Gandhi in the course of interaction admitted that the Government at the Centre has so far kept the country in the “dark about the contents, nature and status of the peace dialogues.”
She, however, expressed solidarity with the Naga people for the need to find an amicable, honourable and permanent peace in the State and the region.
The delegation also told the Congress chief that the JLF comprising of leaders of all political parties in the State was formed last year to project a “common front and voice of the representatives of the people of Nagaland” on the urgency to solve the protracted Naga political problem.
The delegation also pointed out to her that it was her party’s Government at the Centre in 1992 which recognized the Naga problem as a national problem which requires a political solution, and not a military solution
Further justifying the formation of “Opposition-less Government” in the State, the JLF explained to her that it was created to “give a more cohesive, more concerted voice and views on the Naga political problem.”
“The merger of the Congress party legislators with the NPF was solely for the purpose of finding an early solution to the Naga political problem and not because of any other exigency,” the delegation told the Congress Chief.
After giving a “patient hearing,” she reportedly assured her party’s support in the Parliament “as and when” the Bill comes up for discussion “if it was in the interest of the Nagas, the Northeast and the nation.”
The JLF delegation left Delhi this afternoon and will be meeting the All India Trinamool Congress leader at Kolkata tomorrow, informed the CMO.
