Speech of K. Vadeo, Kedahge, Federal Government of Nagaland

Dear citizens,

We are fortunate to get this opportunity today to celebrate the 79th Naga Independence Day, the 14th August, 2025. I take this opportunity as a proud privilege to address the Nation on this auspicious occasion. Today’s celebration is unique because our people get an opportunity to reiterate the declaration of our ‘Independence’ on 14th August 1947, one day ahead of India’s declaration of her Independence. I alsotake this opportunity as a special one because of the fact that we are reiterating the DECLARATION OF OUR FREEDOM once again from the native village of “The Father of the Nation” A.Z.Phizo. I would like to convey my high appreciation andregardto the people of Khonomavillage for their leadership.

The observance of important National days is time to remind ourselves the history of our past and also to renew our commitment to the Nation. The Naga struggle is considered to be one of the longest political struggles in the history of mankind. Ours is a fight against external aggression. Ours is not only about the past but the problem is very much alive with us today.  Nagashave been fighting for the last many years against the mighty Indian forces but we have survived all the odds, because our Naga cause has firm foundation.

It was unfortunate that the Naga political problem was intentionally complicated by few Naga leaders who fell prey to the whims of our political adversaries. It is presumed that our adversaries continued to use the same formula, resulting in the creation of so many factions today among the so called national workers. This situation has confused the public badly today and the result of it is that we find many people are on the wrong platform. We will not blame anybody for it. But at the same time, we find it very necessary to make our people understand clearlythe stand and policy of NNC in the form of reclaiming the original stand of NNC.

For NNC, we have no confusion. The NNC President, Gen.(Rtd.) Thinoselie M. Keyho had summarised the stand of Naga National Council in his Presidential address during the  last “Plebiscite Day” on May 16, 2025, and I want to reiterate some of those important points once again.

(1)My Government is fully committed to the policies and principles laid down by the Naga National Council, (NNC) the one and only political institution for the Nagas.

(2) My Government is guided by the provisions of the Yezabo of Naga National Council in every decisions and actions that we  take. 

(3) We stand by the Naga Voluntary Plebiscite of 1951 in which 99.9% voted in favour of Naga Sovereignty. Not a single soul voted against it.

(4) We stand by the declaration made by Naga elders to the Simon Commission in 1929that we are free people.

(5) We uphold the declaration of Naga Independence on 14th August, 1947, one day ahead of Indian Independence.

(6) NNC will continue to fight against the external aggression of the Indian forces till we clear our God’s given Nagaland of outside forces. We will overcome.

Nagas are peace-loving people and we want to live in peace with our neighbours. With the policy of ‘non-violence’, we will continue to put across our democratic rights and our birthrights from this platform for achieving our goal.

As stated earlier, the political situation in Nagaland has been intentionally complicated by some Naga leaders who fellprey to our political adversaries. I do not believe that the so called  ‘factions’ have come up due to differences of political principles and ideologies between the political leaders but they might have been lured to act against one another with some kind of temptation by outside forces, to which many of our leaders yielded blindly by compromising the right of the Naga people.

To speak the truth, members of the so called factions had gone away from NNC in search of greener pasture. We do not know and it is not our concern also to talk about whether they have gained something out of it. They might have gained in some other ways but as far as the Naga political problem is concerned, they have only created many side issues to overshadow the main issue so that they keep themselves busy trying to overtake one another. The situation does not help even those people who are indulging in such comical games. Creation of factions have complicated the situation and perhaps, that itself has confused the factions thoroughly which let them to a position where they can neither go forward nor backward.

This being the exact situation, I put a challenge to all my earlier comrades to come out openly without hesitation if they realisethat Nagas should stand together as one body if we are to live as a people. Therefore, for those who have realization, I want to extend my heartfelt invitation to them to come back home as the saying goes, ‘there is nothing like home’. Nagas can achieve our goal only through the platform of Naga National Council and Federal Government of Nagaland.  There is no other alternative. NNC is the only traditional political umbrella for each and every Naga.

I want to request the Naga leaders to make our choice not on factions but on political principle.NNC is the political institution with firm principles and NNC is the political institution which brought the Nagas together.Naga National Council and the Federal Government of Nagaland have no connection whatsoever with the Indian Constitution; in other words, we have nothing to do with the Constitution of India.

NNC/FGN belongs to the Naga people. NNC/FGN is the torch bearer to uphold the birth right of the Naga people. NNC/FGN will remain steadfast till we clear the aggressors from our soil. 

Therefore, in this political journey, we do not want to leave anybody behind.Friends, whatever may be your past, you can be a new person today with new decision where you can look forward with new hope.

But remember that time waits for no one.

Kindly accept this invitation as ‘The Naga Calling’.

Long live Naga National Council &The Federal Government of Nagaland.

Kuknalim