NPF accuses PDA of sidelining opposition on Naga issue

Dimapur, Oct. 17 (EMN): Opposition NPF has accused the ruling PDA government of sidelining the former from Indo-Naga political issue. The NPF legislature party issued a statement on Thursday claiming that members of the Joint Legislators’ Forum (JLF) on Naga political “have not been guided and led to meet any of the central leaders” of late. Rather, it claimed, the chief minister has led only his cabinet to discuss the Naga issue with the central leaders, ‘even with or without the presence of the speaker of NLA.’ The party wondered if the chief minister has ‘hidden agendas’ to present to the central leaders in the absence of NPF legislators. “Or is the CM scared of the stand that the NPF MLAs might take in such meetings?” It stated that the role of the elected representatives as facilitators is more crucial “at this juncture” given the advanced state of the talks between the “two parties”. The party went on to claim that even as the leader of opposition, TR Zeliang has been “very vocal” about his views, “little is heard of where the NDPP stands.” “Also, the leader of the NPF legislature party has rightly (sic) pointed out on several occasions that the contentious issue of Naga flag and a constitution needs to be settled between the negotiating parties and not the prerogative of the elected members to comment on as facilitators. “And in this regard, it is unfortunate to learn that, the statements put out by the LoP on Naga political issue, is being taken out of context and misinterpreted to malign and start a smear campaign by his political adversaries in the sight of the central leaders,” read the statement. While the present central leadership is serious about solving the issue, Naga people should rally behind and iron out any differences that might exist and not miss the train this time, it stated. “The central leadership under the prime ministership of Narendra Modi graciously signed the ‘framework agreement’ in 2015. Now, with the commitment to solve the Naga issue within three months’ time, that is by the month of October, we can only hope for an amicable settlement which is accepted by all and not a settlement which would further divide the Nagas and bring forth years of distress and sufferings,” it stated. Also, it asked the NLA Speaker to convene a JLF meeting at the earliest and “make necessary arrangements at the earliest for the members to go and meet the central leaders.”