Mokokchung, September 12 (MTNews): Union Home Minister Amit Shah has asked the Nagaland government to convince NSCN-IM to ink the final solution to the protracted Naga political issue (NPI), Nagaland Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Neiba Kronu is reported to have said on Monday. According to Kronu, Shah was entrusted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to meet the Core Committee.
An 11-member delegation of Nagaland government’s Core Committee on NPI, led by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and Deputy Chief Minister Y Patton, has been camping in Delhi since Wednesday
Kronu said the team submitted the July 16 resolution of the Core Committee and asked Shah to re-visit the contentious issues and bring a solution to the issue.
The resolution also urged the Prime Minister and Home Minister to invite the NSCN (IM) leaders for an early conclusion as the negotiations with the Naga political groups had been concluded on October 31, 2019.
It also reminded Shah of BJP’s ‘Election for Solution’ slogan in the 2018 state election and urged him to work for a conclusion to the Naga issue ahead of the next edition of the polls due early next year.
He said the delegation stressed a provision in the resolution that laid emphasis on the negotiating parties arriving at a “mutually acceptable definition of competencies” to resolve the contentious issue at the earliest and bring about an “honourable, acceptable and inclusive” final solution.
Kronu said that the core committee delegations would meet with the NSCN (IM) leaders on returning to Nagaland and convince them to ink the final solution.
The delegation included United Democratic Alliance (UDA) chairman T R Zeliang, its co-chairman Kuzholuzo Nienu, cabinet ministers G Kaito Aye, S Pangnyu Phom, Neiba Kronu and Tongpang Ozukum, advisors H Khehovi Yeptho and Phukhayi and MLA Khriehu Liezietsu.
The team was said to have met with the government of India’s interlocutor for Naga peace talks AK Mishra on Thursday last week and handed him a copy of the core committee’s July 16 resolution.
CM Rio in a tweet on Monday said, “Once again, we urged the Gol to expedite the protracted negotiations on the issue and bring about an early and honourable solution.”
Deputy Chief Minister Y Patton also updated on Twitter that the delegation had urged the GoI to bring about an early and honourable solution “in line with the people’s aspirations.”
The stalemate in the Naga political negotiations continues as the NSCN (IM) has been firm on its demand for a separate Naga flag and constitution as part of an honourable, acceptable and inclusive solution, while the GoI is reported to be not willing to consider the demand.