State government roadblock to Naga political settlement, Therie says

Mokokchung, July 31 (MTNews): The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) president, K. Therie has lamented that the 16th July resolution of Parliamentary Committee on Naga Political Issue has been “thrown to the dustbin” and alleged the state government wants election rather than settlement. He went on to say that the roadblock to the Naga political settlement this time is the state government.

In a press release issued on Sunday, Therie pointed out how, in all other meetings regarding Naga political problem, the Core Committee of UDA would rush to Delhi with the resolutions. “But surprisingly this time, neither the Core Committee nor the allied partners have gone to submit the resolution,” Therie claimed.

The Congress leader explained that his party initially had agreed to the resolution taken by the Parliamentary Committee of UDA on 16th July 2022 for they felt that “the people’s representatives have finally understood the aspirations of the stakeholders for settlement to the Agreements between GOI and the Negotiating Teams.”

He reiterated that the 16th July resolution “which gave hope of settlement was thrown to the dustbin” and expressed shock that, instead of pursuing the resolution for settlement, the news of the “Seat Sharing Agreement” was flashed in the media.

“In my consideration, settlement of the Agreements will benefit both Nagaland and Nagas outside Nagaland,” he said.

“For Nagaland, the political structures would be improved by way of delimitation of RS, LS, State Assembly and Creation of Upper House. Nagas outside Nagaland would have gained Territorial Autonomous Councils under Schedule VI with direct funding in the manner of States and UTs through Finance Commission Award,” he added.

He noted that, to this effect, the Constitution was amended mandating the Finance Commission (FC) to recommend devolution of funds in 2019.

“The amendment has also transferred 30 Departments to the Councils sharing powers of State. Resettlement schemes for all Naga National Workers and Economic packages for development were also in the pipeline,” he continued.

“Because of the above reasons, Congress has decided to support the Agreements. It is surely an improvement. It is sad we are missing the opportunity once again and this time the roadblock to settlement is the people’s government,” he stated.

He then concluded in his press note that the coming election will be a “referendum” for the people between the issues of “settlement or no settlement” and “a secular Government or a Government thriving on religious divide.”