On 16thJuly 2022, barring one legislator who was undergoing treatment, fifty nine Nagaland state legislators unanimously adopted an unprecedented, unequivocal and decisive four point resolutions, shedding off all apprehensions and ambiguity by appealing to the political leadership of India to announce and sign an inclusive, honorable Indo-Naga political agreement with the Naga negotiators, as per official conclusion of negotiation declared on 31st Oct. 2019. All Naga stakeholders appreciated the wisdom of the elected representatives of Nagaland for openly declaring and informing the Naga people and the Government of India (GoI) that they are prepared to facilitate and pave the way for a transitional arrangement. This, the Naga people felt, was a conviction, commitment and sacrifice of the highest order, respecting the overwhelming desire, sentiment and demand of the Naga people.
Ten days after the resolutions were adopted by Fifty nine legislators, on 26 July, 2022, the joint press statement of BJP and NDPP, appended by Nagaland BJP in-charge Mr. Nalin Kohli and NDPP General Secretary Abu Metha has come as a tight slap to the Naga people. The fourth point which declared 40-20 seat sharing formula between the two parties in the coming months, wholly betrayed the integrity of all sixty legislators and United Democratic Alliance (UDA) partners who, ten days earlier, had appealed to the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India to ink an inclusive, honorable Indo-Naga political agreement.
Who is NDPP General Secretary Abu Metha? He owes an explanation to the Naga people as to why, at this hour, he desires elections more than Indo-Naga political solution. What political, historical, social and moral authority has he to attempt a pre-emptive strike on a possible Indo-Naga political solution? He has brazenly attempted to redirect, channelize political parties, common people’s energy and that of all sixty legislators, to strategizing electoral politics. Is this not an anti-solution politics? Naga people will be forced to question his lineage and legitimacy since he is throwing a spanner in the wheel of Naga political aspiration.
That Nalin Kohli is a typical Indian loudmouth doing his job is a different matter. If Mr. Metha is a Naga by blood, as a General Secretary of the ruling party, why did he not take the resolutions of sixty legislators to New Delhi and demand the GoI to respect the expressed will and desire of the legislators and that of entire populace? What did Mr. Abu Metha do? Meet BJP Nagaland in-charge and conveniently sign a 40-20 election strategy, pouring cold water on the resolution of sixty legislators of Nagaland. Mr. Abu Metha waited all these years to stab the Naga people in the heart with Indian election strategy. He has failed to measure the overwhelming desire and demand of Naga people for political solution. He has taken his jack-of-all-trades, cheap showboating antics and mannerisms a bit too far. Is he playing with fire? He will have to ask himself.
From Jan.10, 1929 submission of Naga memorandum to British statutory Commission to the present, Naga political struggle has had many traitors and saboteurs. Anti-Naga deeds or documents are recorded and preserved. Many have paid dearly with their lives. This is a crucial period in Naga history.
WC, NNPGs negotiated with GoI and completed the same with complete transparency and in partnership with Naga tribes, hereditary institutions, the church and apex civil societies. The open, direct involvement and contribution of Naga tribal bodies and intellectual groups at various stages of WC, NNPGs political negotiation with GoI is unprecedented in Naga history. NNPGs talk was decidedly a people’s negotiation which is why those who put personal ambition before Naga people’s political aspiration will have to understand the gravity of their actions.
Media Cell, WC, NNPGs