DIMAPUR, NOV 4 (MExN): Former Nagaland Chief Minister and Goa Governor SC Jamir has termed as “juvenile, ridiculous and baseless”, on the several allegations leveled against him by the NSCN (IM) and expressed pain that it was unbecoming of an organization which professes to fight for the cause of the Naga people to issue such blatant lies and concoctions to defame any person.
Pointing out that as an elderly citizen who has been closely associated with almost all the political and historical events of the Naga people in the latter half of the last century till date, Jamir in a press statement issued from Panaji, Goa, reminded the younger generation of Naga leaders at the helm of affairs whether underground or over ground, “that we are all part of the same Naga family”.
“It would not do anyone of us any good if we keep on hurting each other either physically or emotionally. We must realize that the solution to our problems will have to come through the collective wisdom of all sections of the Naga community, and not through any individual or organization or faction”, Jamir stated.
To put the record straight on the various allegations, Jamir began by stating that whether one likes it or not, “Statehood has been one of the best things to have happened to the people of Nagaland thus far and pointed out that it was a result of political foresight of the then Naga leaders and that Statehood “was not a sell out at all, but an achievement of the Naga people”. Jamir also pointed out that Statehood was not the final aspiration of the Naga people as was obvious from the ceasefire agreement of 1964 and the subsequent six rounds of talks at the highest level.
Stating that the concept of Statehood was relatively new to the Naga people at that point of time, the former Chief Minister maintained that the leaders who shouldered the responsibility during that period represented the people and had all resolved to provide the best available opportunities to the Naga people.
Drawing attention to the oft-repeated controversy surrounding the offer made by former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to meet AZ Phizo, and how it was alleged that it was Jamir who had blocked this initiative, Jamir pointed out on how he had told Nehru that the proposed meeting should take place in consultation with P. Shilu Ao, the Chief Executive Councilor of Nagaland. “I was and I still am of the firm conviction that New Delhi should consult the State Government before taking any drastic political decision since it would undermine the importance of the fledging State at that point of time”, Jamir affirmed and stated that he was proud that Nehru himself rephrased his statement on the floor of Parliament by saying that he (Nehru) was prepared to meet the Naga leader (Phizo) “in consultation with the Government of Nagaland”.
“Even today, the Government of India cannot bypass the State government while taking any major political decision on the Naga political issue”, Jamir stated and added that the constitutional position of the State government needed to be understood by all concerned.
The former Nagaland Chief Minister also reminded that in this context, he had stated in no uncertain terms in the past that as and when an honourable and final settlement is arrived at between the Government of India and the Naga people, the Congress party and its government would even volunteer to resign to help smooth switching over to the new arrangement.
(See related story “Jamir clarifies on NSCN (IM) allegations” on page 3)
