In a press conference coinciding with the release of the Congress Manifesto in Nagaland in Kohima recently, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh offered insights into the party’s historical involvement and vision for resolving the longstanding Naga Political Issue.
The Naga political issue predates India’s independence and has remained unresolved even after seven decades of conflict and negotiations between the Indian government and Naga political groups. This issue has been a recurring theme in political campaigns, with each party vying to offer a solution to the longstanding problem.
Responding to the media’s query on why the Congress who had ruled for decades in Nagaland has not stressed on the Naga political issue during their rule, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said, “What you saw in 2015 as Framework Agreement was a result of negotiation that started in the mid 90s.”
He emphasized that these negotiations commenced in the mid-1990s during the tenure of Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao and were advanced by subsequent Prime Ministers and Interlocutors. Ramesh clarified that negotiations were continuously ongoing even during PM Manmohan Singh’s time but Singh temporarily halted in 2014 during the election.
“The Congress didn’t come back to power. Therefore, PM Modi continued the talk and in 2015 PM Modi resumed the negotiation and saw the signing of the Framework Agreement with IM,” he explained, adding, “PM Manmohan Singh has always held the North East in highest regard and never did anything to disturb the North East. We never had a Manipur-type situation”.
Addressing the concept of a “final solution” outlined in the Congress manifesto, Ramesh elucidated that it signifies the party’s commitment to achieving a comprehensive and inclusive resolution.
“It means we will bring a ‘permanent solution’ that is inclusive and encompasses all Naga groups, Naga society and all regions of Nagaland.”
On being asked whether it included Naga integration, he said, “I am not the interlocutor. I am not negotiating it”. However, he said, “Whatever the negotiations are, the Government of India must be transparent and those negotiations must be shared with people.” He emphasized that the negotiation must have all groups binding to the agreement and ‘all Naga society’ must be willing.
In response to inquiries about whether it meant they will restart the political talks or straight away jump to conclusions, Ramesh answered, “We cannot directly come to conclusion”.
“There is a certain continuity in talks. And it takes time. We have achieved a lot of milestones in 70 years to the extent of making Nagaland a state of the Indian Union and inserting Article 371 (A) in the Indian constitution.”
He further clarified that it does not mean the negotiation will restart either but ‘talking’ will continue. “Democracy is all about talking so, we will talk. We just don’t believe in signing different agreements with different groups”.
Regarding developmental initiatives in the Northeast under Prime Minister Modi’s tenure, Ramesh said, “Most of the projects in the last ten years were those that were initiated by Congress. It takes years to construct long bridges and takes years to lay railway lines. Most of the visible projects that are completed now are those that have been started years ago,” he explained.
“Especially in the Northeast there are logistical challenges and it takes many years because it has shorter working periods due to the monsoon. It is just Prime Minister Modi who wants to take his credit,” he added.