EMN
Dimapur, September 20
The Naga Students Federation (NSF) has written to Union Minster of State for Home Kiren Rijiju expressing strong displeasure over the demand of Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi for withdrawal of Nagaland Armed Police (NAP) from the border areas.
In a representation to the Union minister today, NSF president Tongpang Ozukum and assistant general secretary Kesosul Christopher Ltu said it is quite unfortunate that the Chief Minister of Assam not satisfied with misusing and dishonouring Assam-Nagaland Border Agreement is on another mission to mislead the central leaders on border issues.The NSF sought to point out that the government of Nagaland has honourably withdrawn the NAP from all border areas as per the Interim Agreement signed between the two states in presence of the Common Governor on January 28, 1979 in Shillong and the Ground Rules made on April 11, 1979 in New Delhi in presence of then Union Home Minister. However, till date the Assam government has not withdrawn their forces from the border areas as agreed upon, it lamented.
“Therefore the question of withdrawing Nagaland Police from Border areas as claimed by the Assam Chief Minister does not arise at all; rather Assam government should first honour the Interim Agreement made in presence of the central leaders and withdraw their Armed Police Forces from the border areas,” it demanded.
It said as per the 1979 Interim Agreement, in place of Nagaland and Assam Armed Police, CRPF and Assam Rifles was deputed as ‘Neutral Forces’ and the overall operation command of the CRPF and Assam Rifles was put under the Additional IG of Assam to be assisted by DIG of police from the two states. But these neutral forces have always acted against the Nagas at the behest of Assam government, the NSF stated. Further, 20 more CRPF posts were brought under Assam State command to further subjugate the Nagas living in the border areas, it added.
The NSF termed it as quite unfortunate for the indigenous people of Assam that Tarun Gogoi throughout his chief ministership has been misleading their own people by sheltering the non-indigenous people and pushing them further to the border areas to fight the Nagas in the name of Assam and under the patronage of their government at the cost of the aged-old brotherly relationship between the indigenous people of the two states.
However, people of both the neighbouring states, particularly the younger generation and the intellectuals, are well aware of Gogoi’s sinister plans and designs, the NSF said. “Therefore no matter how much Tarun Gogoi tries to bring the two neighborly brothers into conflict, mistrust and misunderstanding, the aged-old relationship still persist strongly and it will be so even in the days to come,” it said.
Also, explaining that there are four Interim Agreements (2 each in 1972 and 1979) made between the state of Nagaland and Assam so far in connection to border issues and problems, the NSF said while Nagaland government has honoured the agreements in letter and spirit, Assam Government has never honoured the agreements rather they have taken undue advantage of these agreements and because of which this border agreements have become a bond of contention for both Assam and Nagaland states.
Therefore, the NSF demanded that in order to maintain peaceful atmosphere in the border areas, the standing interim agreements should be either revoked or reviewed as these agreements is highly prejudiced towards Nagaland state. It further demanded that the government of India should take necessary action against the Chief Minister of Assam for misleading the central leaders and also for creating fear psychosis, border tension and unrest amongst the people living in the border areas.
