Naga People’s Front legislators pull out of JLF on Naga political issue

Dimapur, Aug. 18 (EMN): Legislators of Naga People’s Front (NPF) party have pulled out of the Joint legislators’ forum (JLF) on Naga political issue with immediate effect.

The decision to withdraw their membership from the forum was taken during a meeting of the NPF legislature party in Dimapur on Tuesday, according to a press release from the party. It stated that the present set up of JLF on Naga political issue is facing huge trust deficit and there exists no further purpose in continuing the forum.

Since the JLF was reconstituted on September 18, 2018, the forum has failed to make any progress due to the half-hearted approach of the present day government, it alleged.

“JLF on Naga political issue has become a mere forum without any tangible road-map to the Naga political issue on its part. There is neither real activity nor productivity on the ground. Furthermore, when the ruling dispensation does not have confidence in the legislators of the Naga Peoples’ Front, there is no valid reason why the Naga Peoples’ Front should continue to remain as part of JLF,” the statement read.

According to the NPF, after the signing of the ‘framework agreement’ and the ‘agreed position’ between Naga negotiators and the Centre, JLF meetings “were convened only to be followed by inaction on the part of the present day government, rendering the JLF an ineffective forum”.

“With utmost sincerity, legislators of the Naga Peoples’ Front had put forth its proposition in almost all the JLF meetings that members in the forum should call upon the prime minister of India, the home minister of India and other central leaders in order to urge them in bringing the long pending Naga political issue to a logical conclusion. However, the proposal has failed to see the light of the day till date.

“As suggested by the chief minister, JLF on Naga political issue had constituted a core committee with 5 legislators of the Naga Peoples’ Front out of the total 20 core committee members following which, a total of 3 meetings have taken place till date,” it stated.

In those meetings, it stated, the NPF legislators had suggested that a delegation comprising representatives of various political parties and tribes should meet the prime minister and the home minister of India, seeking an early solution.

“Even in the last meeting of the core committee held on March 8, 2020 at Niathu Resort, Dimapur, the same was reiterated. However, the chief minister came up with excuses and the same has been kept in abeyance. At the JLF meeting held at the old chief minister’s banquet hall, Kohima, on May 2, 2020, the same was proposed yet again. Even this time, the chief minister came up with an excuse that civil societies should first be consulted before such a move is initiated.

“The chief minister of the state had never expressed his mind or divulged his meetings with the central leadership in any of the JLF or core committee meetings for the members to carry forward as facilitator towards realising the Naga political issue,” it alleged.

Also, when the October 31, 2019, deadline was set for conclusion of the Naga political issue, the government “paid the least attention in convening a meeting of the JLF” despite ‘fervent appeal’ from the NPF legislators, it stated.

“On August 5, 2020, the chief minister of Nagaland along with the finance minister of Assam, was called to Delhi by the home minister of India, and the former left for Delhi on August 6, 2020 by a chartered flight and met the home minister of India the same day. While the chief minister of Nagaland on his return maintained an eerie silence on what transpired in the meeting, it was learnt from the finance minister of Assam through his interactions with the media that the meeting was in regard to bringing about permanent peace in the NE region and that the government of India was keen on resolving the Naga issue,” it added.

The party’s request for a 3-day NLA session, recently, “to discuss important issues confronting the Naga people today including Naga political issue was rejected,” it stated.

These precedents have prompted the NPF legislators to pull out of the forum, the party stated.

“The Naga Peoples’ Front and its legislature wing will continue to be active facilitators on the Naga political issue,” it maintained.