The Naga People’s Front (NPF) on Saturday said it is “profoundly dismayed” by what it called an “egregious” statement of the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) regarding the visa denial of Rev. Franklin Graham, rejecting allegations of the party’s “acquiescence or complicity” as “utterly baseless and misleading.”
In a press note, the NPF said the NPCC’s claims were “a deliberate attempt to disseminate disinformation and exploit the sentiments of the Christian community.”
The party clarified that “neither the NPF nor the State Government had any role whatsoever” in blocking Rev. Graham’s entry. It added that the Chief Minister of Nagaland made “assiduous and persistent efforts at the highest echelons of power to secure visa approval,” but the decision was “taken solely by the Government of India.”
According to the NPF, the State Cabinet on 6 January 2025 had passed a resolution seeking consideration and withdrawal of the re-imposed Protected Area Permit (PAP), and the NPF’s CEC meeting on 27 November 2025 resolved to support the Cabinet resolution.
The party said the Chief Minister wrote to the Union Home Minister (UHM) on multiple occasions—18 July, 29 October, 17 November, and again on 26 November 2025—requesting early issuance of the visa for Rev. Graham. “Despite these efforts, no official correspondence has been received from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) by the State Government as of 29 November 2025,” it said.
The NPF also stated that Rev. Graham and his team had “not received any intimation about the visa status from the Indian Embassy in Washington” as of 28 November 2025.
The party added that the State Government was fully prepared to welcome Rev. Graham to the opening ceremony of the 26th Hornbill Festival, calling this an indication of the “NPCC’s duplicitous intentions and blatant disregard for the truth.”
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“We deplore the NPCC’s blatant attempt to shift the onus onto the NPF,” the statement said, calling it “a lamentable attempt to politicize the issue and foment dissension.”
The NPF said it remains committed to “transparency, accountability, and respect for the rule of law,” and asserted that it is “deeply ingrained in Naga identity, culture, and faith.” It condemned attempts to “conflate faith and politics” by involving Rev. Graham in “this sordid political controversy.”
The party urged the people of Nagaland “not to be swayed by the NPCC’s politically motivated rhetoric,” stating that the NPF and the Chief Minister “did everything within their power” to facilitate the visit.
“The NPF remains unwavering in its commitment to safeguarding the rights, faith, and dignity of the Naga people,” the statement added.
The release was issued by the Press Bureau, NPF Central Headquarters, Kohima.
