Former President of the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC), K Therie, has criticized the outcome of the 12 September 2024 State Government-sponsored consultative meeting on the Naga political issue, calling it “futile and a waste.”
Comparing the situation to a Biblical analogy, Therie remarked, “Nagaland has a different kind of Herod. Rome’s Herod sentenced Jesus to death succumbing to the people’s demand. Our Herod had sentenced his people to death succumbing to the pressure of his god-father and the instinct of ‘I want more.’” He expressed disappointment, expecting that the organizations attending the meeting would carry the voice of the people they represent, rather than yielding to external pressures.
Therie emphasized the importance of the two agreements signed in previous talks and the 31st October 2019 conclusion document, stating, “The two Agreements and 31st Oct 2019 conclusion documents are relevant. The two agreements are in the public domain. The 31st Oct 2019 conclusion talk documents should be available with the Home Department.”
“If the delegates do not have the documents, it is the responsibility of the Home Dept to provide them,” he added.
Addressing the members, he noted that the political solution belongs to the stakeholders, not to any organization. ”It cannot be shifted to one faction or GOI to list out the details of our requirements,” he continued.
“Legally and constitutionally, the elected Members have enough authority to work out the details on behalf of the stakeholders,” he said. Therie further criticized the resolution of the consultative meeting, accusing it of shifting responsibility to the Negotiating Teams and the Government of India. He argued that urging the Government of India to appoint a new interlocutor amounts to reversing the progress already made in the agreements signed in the presence of India’s top leadership, including the Prime Minister, Home Minister, and Defense Minister.
Therie questioned the need for further resolutions when two agreements have already been reached, saying, “What more resolutions do they want when we have two Agreements and the talks have concluded on 31st Oct 2019? What needs to be done is implement the Agreements. Both the parties cannot backtrack and we cannot alter the Agreements.”
Reflecting on the Congress Party’s consistent stance, Therie reaffirmed their commitment to the implementation of the agreements, stating, “The NPCC election manifesto had offered to implement the Agreements. Although the people have rejected the manifesto, Congress has not changed its stand. Congress’ Lok Sabha Election Manifesto of 2024 also offered to resolve the political issues. Given the opportunity, we are ready to implement. We already have a draft of the solution.”
He also criticized the resolution signed by the NPCC President in the recent consultative meeting, stating it deviated from Congress’ position on the political solution.