The Naga People’s Front (NPF) has been asked to clarify where it stands on an “inclusive” Naga political solution, with questions raised over whether the party’s present position reflects the ideology it claims to uphold.
The question was raised by Lanukaba, Vice President, Central Office Bearers (COB), while speaking on “Rethinking Mokokchung: Politics, Leadership and Governance” during a panel discussion organised by the NPF Youth Wing, Mokokchung Division, on November 9.
Tracing the history of the Naga political movement and the political developments that led to the formation of Nagaland, Lanukaba said the NPF’s story could not be understood without first understanding the history behind it.
“Without knowing history, NPF story won’t begin,” he said.
Referring to My Years with Nehru by B.N. Mullik, who served as Director of the Intelligence Bureau from 1950 to 1964, Lanukaba said the book contained a chapter on the Nagas.
Drawing from the book, he questioned the circumstances surrounding the formation of the Naga People’s Convention (NPC), alleging that it was part of an effort to bring Nagas into the Indian Union and counter the mandate of the 1951 Naga plebiscite.
He said moderate Naga leaders and people serving in government were brought together under this approach, while village Gaon Buras were allegedly taken to Kohima against their will to discuss the formation of the NPC.
The NPC was formed in August 1957. Its first convention was held in Kohima, followed by a second at Ungma in May 1958 and a third at Mokokchung in October 1959. The third convention adopted a 16-point memorandum, which became the basis of negotiations with the Government of India. The agreement was reached in July 1960 and provided for the formation of Nagaland as a State within the Indian Union.
Lanukaba said the NPC had also resolved that Naga underground representatives should be included in the negotiating process, and that it must have two members each from all Naga tribes.
He recalled that representatives of the Naga National Council (NNC) Federal Government were waiting at Kikruma in the Chakhesang area when the NPC delegation proceeded to Dimapur and later Delhi without meeting them to discuss the agreement.
According to him, the NNC, which considered itself mandated by the 1951 plebiscite, felt sidelined by the process. He linked the resulting political resentment to subsequent assassinations and attempts on the lives of political leaders.
The historical developments, he said, were important in understanding the different political positions that emerged among the Nagas, including the decision of some leaders to enter electoral politics and raise their demands through the Assembly.
He also traced the evolution of political organizations and the roots of the NPF, saying the party had historically maintained close links with the Naga underground movement.
Turning to the party’s stated ideology of “Acceptable, Honorable and Inclusive”, Lanukaba placed particular emphasis on the word “inclusive”.
He referred to the demand for the integration of contiguous Naga-inhabited areas, saying the issue had remained part of the political aspirations expressed through successive Assembly resolutions. He cited resolutions passed on December 12, 1964; August 28, 1970; September 16, 1994; and December 18, 2003.
Lanukaba also referred to the debate surrounding the participation of Nagas from outside Nagaland in the political movement. Referring to a recent article by Dr S.C. Jamir, he said questions had been raised about the role of the Tangkhuls in the 1951 plebiscite and the wider Naga struggle.
In contrast, he recalled a 1956 call by the Naga Federal Government for “all Nagas under the sky” to join the NNC, saying the call was not limited to Nagas within present-day Nagaland but extended to Naga areas in the Eastern Nagaland region, Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh.
He then drew a distinction between the Agreed Position and the Framework Agreement, arguing that the former concerned Nagas within Nagaland, represented by the 80 MLAs and two Members of Parliament, while the Framework Agreement was meant to be inclusive of Nagas across regions and different Naga political groups.
“The Framework Agreement talks about inclusive,” he said, adding that it embraced Nagas wherever they were.
Against this background, he questioned the NPF’s position on the ongoing Naga political negotiations.
“And therefore, I ask the NPF, where does the party’s ideology stand on inclusive?” he said.
The question comes at a time when the Naga peace process has seen renewed developments. The Government of India appointed retired IPS officer Ajit Lal as the new interlocutor for the Naga talks in September 2026. The NSCN (IM) also welcomed the proposed inclusion of a Union Minister or a group of Union Ministers in the negotiation framework.
Lanukaba also raised the issue of the competency clause of the Framework Agreement, which has been a subject of public discussion. He said the NSCN (IM) had earlier stated that the document would be shared with the public when the negotiations approached a conclusion and public opinion would be sought before finalisation.
He claimed that the competency document was now being circulated and suggested that this could indicate progress towards an understanding with the Council of Ministers.
He questioned where the NPF and its workers stood on the matter, particularly as the contents of the document and the direction of the negotiations continued to be discussed.
Lanukaba further referred to an Ao Senden resolution of 2019, which, according to him, stated that the organization would not do anything against the 14 tribes of Nagaland. He questioned whether such a position was consistent with the idea of inclusiveness and whether the NPF had raised the issue with the Ao Senden.
“If it is against our ideology, the party should be able to stand against it,” he said.
He also questioned the fairness of Dr SC Jamir’s recent remarks asking for the dissolution of the NPF-led government and urging the RSS to put pressure on the Central government to find a solution to the Naga political issue in 2026.