DIMAPUR — The Working Committee of the Naga National Political Groups (WC-NNPG) has taken a dig at the NSCN (IM) for its insistence on the ‘Naga flag and constitution’ as prerequisite for solution to the Naga political issue.
The WC-NNPG in a press release expressed confidence that Nagas would exercise their sovereign and legitimate rights that would not be in conflict with India, but rather coexist with India which honours, respects and recognises Naga history and identity.
“Therein lies the soul of Naga flag and constitution,” the NNPG asserted.
Recalling the August 3, 2015, signing of the Framework Agreement (FA) between the Government of India (GoI) and the NSCN (IM), in presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the NNPG claimed that the reciprocal warmth exchanged then, did not indicate any unfinished business, let alone Naga flag or constitution, “because it was no rocket science to the Naga people that the group was joining Indian national mainstream.”
It also maintained that the GoI on October 31, 2019, announced that the talks with negotiating Naga groups, including NSCN (IM), had formally concluded.
[bsa_pro_ad_space id=1]The NNPG pointed out that after two years of dedicated political parlays with the then GoI interlocutor RN Ravi, both the negotiating parties came out with the ‘Agreed Position,’ which would define the future relationship between GoI and Nagas.
“There was heightened anticipation that an inclusive acceptable political solution for all Nagas was around the corner. Then, out of nowhere, the IM leadership changed the goalpost and brought the subject of Flag and Constitution which did not feature in their last 22 years of talks up to the signing of FA,” it alleged.
The NNPG asserted that with the signing of Agreed Position on Nov. 17, 2017, the WC-NNPG “corrected the political mistake of IM and reaffirmed the political and historical rights of the Nagas to self-determine their future in consonance with their distinct identity.
“Accordingly, future relationship would be based on contemporary political realities for enduring peaceful co-existence. Today, there is a clear intention to deviate, discourage and deny the Naga people a just and honourable political solution. What turned IM leaders into anti-solution group?” it asked.
The NNPG alleged that the NSCN (IM) leadership could not accept the fact that the WC-NNPG, in robust consultation with apex Naga civil societies and others had meticulously achieved in two years what the NSCN (IM) failed to do so for over two decades.
“IM does not wield any sovereign power to share with GoI and therefore sharing of sovereign powers denotes acceptance of Indian constitution. On the other hand, Agreed Position was a launch pad where WC-NNPG placed Indo-Naga conflict at a higher trajectory and GoI acknowledged Naga right to self-determination. Agreed position allowed GoI and NNPGs to respect each other's position and rights, prior to starting political negotiations. Thus, the dialogue between GoI and WC, NNPGs began on a practical note,” it stated.
It went on to assert that Naga people must realign with pragmatic, practical political realities vis-a-vis long term socio-economic restructuring by understanding complex geo-political nature of South East Asia.
“WC- NNPG and the Naga people have understood the reality of our time. Let IM leaders continue their struggle but the rest of the Nagas must accept what is acceptable, practical and honourable at a present time. It is unwise to allow few men with despotic agendas and narrative to hold the Naga people at ransom,” the NNPG said.
“It is more than eighty years of Indo-Naga conflict. The struggle is for restoration of Naga political right, history and identity. Political negotiations did not begin with the sole agenda to achieve flag or constitution. The nature of political Agreement will decide how GoI will honour Naga Flag and other symbolic elements,” it added.