Nagaland-Assam border issue: RPP asks state govt. to withdraw from Interim Agreement of 1972

Our Correspondent
Mokokchung, July 22 (EMN): The newly floated Rising People’s Party (RPP) has demanded the state government to unilaterally withdraw from the Interim Agreement of 1972 signed between Nagaland and Assam to solve the border issue.

Addressing a press conference at Hotel Whispering Wind in Mokokchung on Thursday after visiting the border area in Tzürangkong range, RPP president Joel Naga said that the party has a clear-cut policy regarding solving the border issue.

He said the party’s core demand to the state government is to withdraw from the Interim Agreement of 1972, ‘because until it is done, the area will remain disturbed.’

The party added that withdrawal from the Agreement will automatically nullify the Disturbed Area Belt (DAB).

‘The idea of removing the DAB tag is to bring direct administrative and police administration to the area,’ another leader claimed.

The party also asserted that if given the ‘privilege’, they would look into the border issue, adding that tension with Assam is not an issue concerning a particular community but a Naga issue.

The party also stated the state government should ensure that the Foothill road is constructed and made operational ‘immediately’. 

They observed that if the Foothill road is operational, people living in the border areas could breathe freely even if people from Assam side resort to economic blockades.

It was learned that the RPP interacted with the Tzürangkong Naga Youth Front, Northern Sumi Hoho and other public leaders and shared solidarity with people living in the border area. 

The party also observed that people living in the border areas were feeling neglected.

“We sense frustration; the situation is very sensitive. If anything happens to the people living in the border, the state government will be directly responsible because they have been silent on this issue for decades,” Joel asserted.

Claiming that the state government is neglecting its fundamental duties to protect its citizens, the party said the government should ‘set its priority right when the people are suffering’.

Stating that Assam government has a very proactive policy with regard to border issue, the RPP said the government of Nagaland should take immediate steps to assure that there is no bloodshed and violence in the border area.

It further asked the 60 MLAs to ‘put their heads together and try to resolve the border issue’.