"Woh baat nahi karna ---- Amit Shah on demands for Naga Flag & Constitution :::::::: Naga Netas admit significance of solution

"Woh baat nahi karna ---- Amit Shah on demands for Naga Flag & Constitution.... "You ask for anything else"

With regard the demands for a Flag and a separate Naga constitution, Amit Shah was yet again categorical - "woh baat nahi karna (Please do not raise these two issues)".

The Home Minister,  however, said, "You ask for anything else, we are there with you".

According to sources, Shah in a lighter vein reportedly also said, "one senior militant leader is from Manipur".

Obviously this was in reference to the powerful general secretary of NSCN-IM Thuingaleng Muivah.  Core Committee to meet NSCN-IM leaders after Sept 22

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With the Centre having made it clear that the onus is on the NSCN-IM to end the stalemate and ensure an early inking of a peace pact, the Nagaland Core Committee led by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio is likely to meet the militant leaders after Sept 22.

Sources said the much expected meeting will take place after September 22 wherein the Naga delegation of legislators and ministers will share with the ultra leaders on what transpired at the meeting between the state delegation and Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sept 12, Monday in New Delhi.

"The meeting will take place after the assembly session that ends on September 22," a source said.  

At the Sept 12 meeting, Home Minister Shah told the Naga delegation that they are approaching the "wrong man" when chief minister Rio and others were trying to impress upon the government of India to expedite the peace process.

During interaction wherein two Naga leaders "were most vocal", the issue of extortion figured prominently.

The reference was made to the recent data revealed by the National Crime Bureau that the state of Nagaland tops the list of states for extortion and related offence. "People are fed up of extortion in the name of peace process," several Naga leaders insisted.

Tri colour: Har Ghar Tiranga in Nagaland

Can Naga civil society press Nadda for resignation of BJP MLAs? 

In the ultimate, it's people's wish that should decide politics. If Nagas want Solution, the Mantra is that the voters in Nagaland state should have it. 

New Delhi 

The crucial week of the month of September 2022 is here for Nagaland and the state politics.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah met the Naga delegation of legislators and ministers

led by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Monday, Sept 12. 

It was the first meeting between the key Naga panel and Shah after the July 16 meet at Kohima wherein  much important resolution on Naga peace talks was adopted. 

The panel - fascinatingly called - the Core Committee for Naga Political Issue (CCoNPI) has held a meeting with peace emissary A K Mishra on Thursday. 

Shortly after the meeting, it was revealed at one level that the stalled peace talks between the centre and the NSCN-IM got revived at Shillong on August 24 (the development was kept under carpet for more than a week).  There was also a mega controversy on whether the Naga Yehzabo (Constitution) will be incorporated within the Constitution of India.

Firstly, the centre has denied any such move. Secondly, now it has become more than clear that even Naga customary laws are not codified. So, does merely incorporating the word 'Yehzabo' help any purpose for attaining Solution remains to be seen.

It is being suggested from certain quarters that the Article 371 (A) is a very 'accommodating clause' and it can be used to pacify the grievances of aggrieved parties.

Another crucial development could be the visit of BJP national president J P Nadda. On the face value, Nadda or several top BJP leaders keep travelling into poll-bound states. Recently, Nadda visited Tripura capital Agartala.

One major impact has been former CM Biplab Deb has been made saffron party in-charge for Haryana. He would also go

the Rajya Sabha -- a berth fallen vacant after Dr Manik Saha came back to the state to replace Biplab Deb as the Chief Minister. 

As Chief Minister Deb's performance has been lacklustre and according to his detractors, half the things were

confusing or were not handled effectively.

There are several complaints about BJP state unit performance in Nagaland as well. Most of it is of course

'internal party matters'. BJP organisation general secretary B L Santhosh recently visited the state and he shared

his views as well.

The Nagaland civil society groups especially working for an early solution can perhaps take advantage of

BJP national president J P Nadda's visit. It would be appropriate for Nadda also to meet the members of

the civil society.

These are all relevant as in 2018, it was the BJP which gave the slogan 'Election for Solution'.

Now a few stakeholders  in the ruling dispensation have shown the audacity to charge the voters of Nagaland stating that

this slogan -- meaning an election pledge - was blown out of proportion.

The school of thought which propagated this theory ought to tender an apology for trying to push a line

that they are not accountable. The Naga civil society and newly floated organisations such as the Naga People's

Action Committee (NPAC) can throw up a simple question to BJP president, "Mr Nadda, was your party serious

about the promise of 2018?"

He may answer, and he may not answer. But people of Nagaland and those taking interest on Nagaland affairs

will be able to make up their mind.

Lastly, it ought to be stated that as a party, the BJP has always followed people's diktats. Look at its decisions

like removing Article 370 or getting a Ram temple at Ayodhya. These were parts of the election promises of BJP at a time when

everyone in the country believed these were only lip services. But now they are the reality of our time.

More recently, PM Narendra Modi himself gave up his ego and withdrew the three contentious farm reforms bills. 

In the ultimate, it's people's wish that should decide politics. If Nagas want Solution, the Mantra is that the voters in Nagaland state should have it. 

ends  

NNPG convener Kitovi 

Naga Netas admit significance of solution, Centre says ‘we did not delay’

New Delhi, Sep 13 

Public pressure and general mood in the state seemed to have influenced the thought process of Nagaland legislators and ministers. 

They now admit that it would be difficult for political leaders irrespective of party affiliation to face the electorate without a solution to the Naga political problem.  

Five years ago in the 2018 Assembly elections, the 'Election for Solution' slogan was raised chiefly by the BJP and also by the Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio-led NDPP, which fought the polls together.

At the crucial meeting between Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the Naga delegation -- an 11-member core committee led by Rio on Monday -- reportedly maintained "we cannot face elections and the people of Nagaland without solution".

This plea was countered by the Centre: "We did not delay... when did we delay? The government of India is ready to sign the peace pact even today."

This essentially has brought the ball into the court of NSCN-IM, especially its powerful general secretary Thuingeleng Muivah, who had in 2019 raised the twin issues of flag and a separate constitution.

The Centre has rejected the demands outright.

At Monday's meeting also, the Naga delegation was told that "what cannot be given, cannot be given today, tomorrow or day after".

The Naga leaders have been advised to meet NSCN-IM leaders at the earliest and it was also underlined that everyone involved in the process should be "pragmatic".

The development especially the realisation among the 11-member panel including from BJP that it would be difficult to face the voters without a Solution to the 7-decade old Naga insurgency to a large extent is seen as an 'achievement' for the civil society.

On August 5, the newly-floated Naga People's Action Committee (NPAC) had organised a successful rally in Dimapur wherein all major speakers and community leaders stressed on the need for an early solution.

Individually also a few former civil servants such as a former IAS Khekiye K Sema deserve mention for pushing the line for an early Solution.

Chief Minister Rio tweeted about the Monday deliberations and wrote: "Once again, we urged the GoI to expedite the protracted negotiations on the issue and bring about an early and honourable solution."

The Centre has put the peace talks on the fast track once again after the stalled parleys with the NSCN-IM (over the issues of flag and constitution) were revived last month from Shillong.

Last week, the Naga delegation led by Chief Minister Rio met new peace emissary A.K. Mishra in Delhi.

A new set of Formulation Papers has been given by the centre to the NSCN-IM with a "set of old and new offers".

Obviously, the focus is now on "convincing" the NSCN-IM to ink the final peace pact while at the same time, the NNPG for its part is already keen to sign an agreement and herald a new era of lasting peace and development for Nagas.

The Nagaland Ministers including a few members of the Core Committee would be holding a "closed door" meeting with the NSCN-IM delegation "as early as possible".

According to sources in Delhi, the mood in general is to ink a peace agreement and herald a new era of peace and tranquility.

The delegation led by Rio reminded Amit Shah of the BJP's 'Election for Solution' slogan in the 2018 state elections and urged him to work for a conclusion to the Naga issue ahead of the ensuing polls.

They also said the Solution should be "honourable, acceptable and inclusive".

The Naga peace talks had begun during the stint of I K Gujral as Prime Minister in 1997 and among others former Nagaland Chief Minister S.C. Jamir, also a former Governor of Gujarat, has said that "all issues have been discussed and finalised since 2019 and now we are only waiting for an agreement and final solution pact".

Source: IANS