Nagaland: War of words between PDA and NPF continues

Rio rules out disbanding JLF, says Amit Shah instructed TR Zeliang to rejoin forum; Zeliang denies claim

Our Correspondent
Kohima, Nov. 5 (EMN): The ruling People’s Democratic Alliance (PDA) and opposition Naga People’s Front (NPF) are at loggerheads over the Joint Legislators’ Forum (JLF) on Naga political issue.

The differences between the two groups were exposed during a joint press conference they gave in Kohima on Thursday following their recent meeting with the union home minister, Amit Shah, in Delhi to discuss the Naga political issue.

PDA led by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio has appealed to NPF to rejoin the JLF and endorse the seven-point resolutions adopted in October during the consultative meet, which NPF had boycotted.

On November 2, the leader of opposition, TR Zeliang, had written to the chief minister stating that the NPF had “unanimously resolved” to co-operate and work together under one umbrella vis-a-vis the Naga political issue, once the state government considers its proposal by constituting a ‘Parliamentary Forum of Nagaland’ headed by the CM.

However, the PDA in its meeting held on Thursday decided that “there is no requirement to discontinue with the JLF at this crucial and late juncture”.

The forum, according to the PDA, has been successfully playing the role of active facilitator in the Indo-Naga peace process since its formation in 2009.

At the press conference, Rio asserted that he “doesn’t see any reason why we should change the nomenclature (from JLF to Parliamentary Forum of Nagaland) at this juncture”.

He added that “we cannot undermine” the Speaker. ‘Though he is a young member by age, he is highly qualified, knows his job, and has not made any mistakes which warrant that he should be changed. Therefore, it is disrespectful to the chair,’ he added.

The chief minister asserted that the NPF wanting to “do away with this consultative meeting” on political issue was “not acceptable”. It is not easy to bring all Nagas, with so many tribes and organisations, in one platform, Rio said.

He said that during their meeting with the union home minister, Shah had asked Zeliang why the NPF had not attended the consultative meet.

Zeliang replied that NPF had withdrawn from the JLF and is also meeting with Naga groups working to bring them together, according to Rio.

Further, he said that Zeliang had “endorsed” the seven-point resolutions, which was why Shah had directed both of them to conduct a joint press conference and endorse the resolution.

He felt that the resolution passed at the consultative meet, where 39 organisations and a total of 206 members attended, was “historic”. Though different organisations shared varied opinions, the resolutions were passed after the members present had raised their hands, he said.

On the NPF’s proposal for a special assembly session to discuss the Naga political issue, Rio pointed out that the issue has been discussed in “so many assembly sessions”.

He said that whenever a demand for early solution is made, the central leaders always say that “the ball is in your court, you have to come together, you have to understand the situation, we are ready anytime”.

In view of this, the PDA has appealed to the opposition to rejoin the JLF and also endorse the October 15 resolutions, he reasoned.

The chief minister also pointed out that in their respective manifestos, they had committed to be an active facilitators to the Naga political issue.

Rio pointed out that the Naga political issue is many decades old and the ceasefire and negotiations have stretched for more than 23 years.

‘During ceasefire and negotiation with the Naga groups, countless consultative meets have been held with all the prominent Naga leaders, tribe hohos, mass-based civil societies, including FNR,’ Rio said, adding that various agreements were made to forgive and forget, to reconcile and to come together because the issue is ‘one Naga, one issue, one solution’.

“Therefore, solution should be inclusive and one,” he said.

Rio’s claim ‘totally wrong’ — Zeliang

Leader of opposition TR Zeliang, on the other hand, said that the chief minister’s claim of him endorsing the seven-point resolution is “totally wrong”.

He claimed that Shah “never” asked him to endorse the resolution. It was Neda convenor Himanta Biswa Sarma who had asked him to endorse the resolution.

The leader of opposition was interacting with media persons at his chamber after the joint press conference.

Zeliang admitted that the objective of achieving Naga political solution is “one”, even though NPF and PDA might differ ‘outside the house’. He added that the October 15 resolution “doesn’t differ from our decision”.

“We don’t object to that resolution,” he said and claimed that the PDA ‘should also endorse and appreciate our initiative’.

According to him, the main contention at this juncture is to come and work together for a ‘final conclusion’.

However, the PDA cannot ‘force us to endorse the resolution’, he said.

“Only difference is that we say one solution, one accord and in their resolution, they have mentioned one solution, one people,” Zeliang pointed out. He added that NPF fails to understand what PDA means by ‘one people’.

When asked whether Shah had disclosed about separate constitution and flag, Zeliang replied that the union home minister had said the issue of separate flag and constitution “not negotiable”.

According to him, Shah had said that there should be ‘one nation, one flag; one nation, one constitution’.

Zeliang also said that the Political Affairs Mission of the NPF was formed solely because the JLF was in a “dormant state since its formation in 2018”.

He went on to claim that the joint press conference was a “reflection of the (party’s) commitment” that when it comes to Naga political issue, it is willing to work together cutting across political party lines.

“Also, when the central government is seriously working to resolve the protracted Naga political issue, and if the state government possess the same seriousness, we the opposition will fully co-operate to work together on a common platform,” he stated.

Zeliang went on to claim that the Speaker was found to be “no more a neutral chair” and “always wait for the decision of the CM”.

That was the reason why NPF had proposed the formation of a forum, he said.

According to Zeliang, thorough deliberation in the Assembly by the elected members followed by adoption of Assembly Resolution at this juncture is most crucial. “It is time to revisit the commitment we have given to the Naga people during election years on the Naga political issue. Should the situation demand, as committed in the past, the elected members should be prepared to even step down and pave the way for settlement and new arrangement if it is required,” he said.

No questions fielded from the press

The joint press briefing ended rather abruptly, without taking any questions from the assembled journalists.

The briefing lasted around 32 minutes: Rio took around 17 minutes and Zeliang, around 13 minutes. Time was given to other legislators present to speak but there was none. Immediately, after the Speaker thanked the members of the press, the briefing was ended without giving time for journalists to raise queries.