NDPP-BJP govt created a mammoth jumla, a huge drama with regard to the Ceasefire Framework Agreement: Nagaland Congress

Raising concerns over the pending solution to the Naga political issue and its associated problems, Dr Ajoy Kumar, Congress Incharge (Nagaland), Shri K. Therie, President, Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) and Shri Ranajit Mukherjee, Secy, All India Congress Committee (AICC), addressed the media at the state party headquarters today. 

Dr Ajoy Kumar while slamming the BJP party for callously betraying the aspirations of the Naga people, said, “Nagaland is a jewel of the North East; famed for its tribes, languages, cultural traditions and a unique history. It is also at a strategic geo-political location sharing a long international border with Myanmar. Peace and prosperity for the Naga people is integral to the peace and prosperity of the country. BJP has callously betrayed the aspirations of the Naga people, as well as sacrificed national interest for their selfish, narrow electoral and political interest.”

Subsequently, calling the long-drawn negotiations and discussions held between the Government of India and National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-IM) with regard to the ceasefire agreement futile, Ajoy Kumar further adds, “For more than 25 years there have been painstaking conversation and negotiation between successive Govt of India (GOI) and NSCN-IM as well as other groups, and the ceasefire agreement that started on 1 August 1997 has held through this period.”

“On 3 August 2015, there was a sudden flurry of movement from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). Media was alerted and shortly the collective leadership of the NSCN-IM led by Shri Th. Muivah, General Secretary posed for a picture with the Prime Minister, Defence Minister Shri Rajnath Singh, NSA Shri Ajit Doval and the Interlocutor for Naga Peace Talks Shri RN Ravi. The Prime Minister said that GOI and NSCN-IM have successfully concluded the dialogue on the Naga Political issue, which has existed for six decades and agreement signed! Yet today seven years on we realise it was another mammoth jumla, a huge drama created with no actual substance behind it. Today it is clear that this is a government that speaks first and thinks later, a government that has proven it has no substance,” adds Kumar further.

There have been no significant developments with regards to the ceasefire agreement as claimed by the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee. Lambasting the ruling BJP, Nagaland Congress In-charge Ajoy Kumar further remarks, “With time the Interlocutor involved the Naga civil society in the form of Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs), and an Agreed Position with the Working Committee of the NNPGs was signed on 17 November 2017. This too did not lead to any final solution implementation.”  

“On 31 October 2019 there was an official declaration that the talks have been concluded as per Interlocutor RN Ravi. And finally, this year on 16 July the Parliamentary Committee on Naga Political Issue which reflects the will of the 60 elected members of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly gave recognition to the two official agreements. Uniquely all 60 members of the Assembly comprising of NDPP, BJP and NPF together form the UDA Government (no opposition in the Assembly), hence their assent is the assent of the elected representatives of the citizens of the state. But, despite all the statements and public posturing, the Government of India has not officially stated on what are the terms of agreement!” remarked Kumar.

Kumar has further slammed the ruling government by calling the NDPP-BJP seat sharing plan perfidious in nature and betrayal of hopes and aspirations of the Naga people.
“However, instead of bringing the resolution of the Parliamentary Committee to Delhi and ensuring implementation of ‘solution’, Rio and the BJP Prabhari in Charge of Nagaland Nalin Kohli went ahead to sign a seat-sharing agreement without the knowledge of the state BJP leaders, as evidenced by the statements made by Deputy Chief Minister Patton after it was made public. This shows the perfidious nature of Rio and the BJP: their betrayal of hopes and aspirations of the Naga people who have supported the UDA Government expecting them to hold to their promise of implementation of a final solution within their 5 years of tenure,” said Ajoy Kumar.

The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee has further claimed that the ruling BJP party with the help of Rio led NDPP party, want the insurgent group NSCN-IM to continue with their activities in the state, so that BJP can secure electoral victory in Nagaland assembly elections.

“The people of Nagaland heard with dismay Home Minister Amit Shah’s declaration at the BJP’s National Executive in July that ‘all problems of the North East would be solved by 2024’, a jumla statement indicating clearly that there is no intention on his part to allow for a solution. The 5 August Rally for solution by civil society was intended to pressurise both the Chief Minister and the Prime Minister. However, by completely avoiding mention of Nagaland in his 15 August speech, the Prime Minister has made it clear that they have no intention of implementing a solution before holding the state elections,” remarked Ajoy Kumar.
Asserting their stand to implement the framework agreement to the Naga political issue, the state Congress Committee announced that they will come back to power in 2023 and uphold the aspirations of the Naga people so as to ring in peace and security of the entire North East region and not Nagaland alone.