Zeliang reiterates solution before election

Says any revolutionary movement cannot survive without ‘illegal taxation’ Eastern Mirror Desk Dimapur, Nov. 18 (EMN): Nagaland Chief Minister TR Zeliang has pitched for focus on a solution to the Naga political issue and has suggested 'to forgo the 2018 general election if Civil Society agrees.' He was addressing the inauguration of St. Joseph University on Sat. Nov. 18 at Ikishe village in Dimapur as the chief guest of the event. “The Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) should take the lead and create a Christian forum inclusive of various denominations to come to a solution,” opined Zeliang. “If Naga people desire for a political solution why not I start from the top as the head of the state as the Naga Political Groups are prepared to come to a solution,” the chief minister maintained. 'Why I am addressing and emphasising on the Naga political solution is because it is important for the present generation to know of the state of affairs,' he asserted. Any revolutionary movement, he said, cannot survive without collecting illegal taxation; and 'how can we take our youths forward with this concern,' he asked. “For 70 years we have struggled for freedom and for the past 20 years we have not come to a conclusion. We are in the second year after the signing of the historic ‘framework agreement’ in 2015 but have not come to a meeting point,” the CM stated. On this line, he asserted that with the Nagaland government functioning as an ‘opposition-less government,’ it was a golden opportunity to focus on an early Naga political solution and 'forgo the coming election with the consent of Civil Society.'