Ex Parliamentarians Association of Nagaland pushes for Early Solution ::: All eyes on March 20 meet ... Pressure mounts on Centre for Common Draft

The Ex-Parliamentarians Association of Nagaland (Ex-PAN) held a meeting and during the deliberations there was a consensus to urge the Government of India for an early Solution. 

The leaders also discussed about the need to bring a Common Draft for inking of a final peace pact at the earliest. The Ex-PAN leaders and representatives shall also attend the crucial March 20 consultative meeting of apex Naga organisations and tribal bodies. 

All eyes will be on March 20 deliberations which will be hosted and anchored by the Naga Gaon Burrah Federation (village elders). 

The Naga Hoho's move to press for an early Solution and clamour for a Common Draft vis-a-vis taking key points from the the Agreed Position of 2017 and the Framework Agreement of 2015 has given a booster to the efforts for an early resolving of the Naga issue.  

A big time challenge however remains because the Status Quo club in Nagaland state is virtually operating like a Deep State and has been over the years and months creating hurdles to the peace process. 

The Naga Hoho too was considered only an element of the Status Quo Club and hence its move to take a more practical stance ought to be appreciated from New Delhi's perspective.

 

At the meeting of the Ex-Parliamentarians, President Naga Hoho, Salunthung Lotha (also a former legislator) laid emphasis that the centre should come with a Common Draft for the Naga political Solution "without any further delay".   

As stated numerous times earlier, Kohima's famous NDPP-BJP regime does not seem to be in favour of the Common Draft.

Nagaland Governor La Ganesan's customary address to the state assembly perhaps made the Status Quo 

club and the 'deep state' happy. The speech failed to draw any road-map. 

The Governor's address merely  referred to Nov 21, 2024 (read failed) meeting between Nagaland CM Neiphu Rio and Ministers with Home Minister Amit Shah - where the delegation claimed to have expressed "desire" for early solution of the long pending Political Issue. 

"We have been working to fulfill our  commitment to the people of our State. This House has  collectively taken steps to ensure the peaceful resolution of  the Naga Political Issue," the words from the Governor revolved around the much repeated line taken by the Status Quo club from time to time.

The NDPP leadership tried to open yet another controversy by claiming that an all-party delegation would meet Home Minister Amit Shah and press for revoking the central decision on border fencing with Myanmar. 

But the Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma's statement that his state and porous Mizoram-Myanmar borders were used by foreign mercenaries to interfere in Myanmar would have possibly made things difficult for the BJP ministers in Nagaland to be party to any such delegation. 

The crucial part of the debate is that border fencing is a central government subject and the matter is related to national security. Lalduhoma is not part of BJP-led NDA (or NEDA) and hence his words on such an important subject carries weight. 

Basic contradictions show the NDPP-BJP regime in Kohima is not at par with the policy decisions of the Union Home Ministry.

Amit Shah thus will have reasons to pull up his own sleeves and also pull up the 'erring' Nagaland leaders.

When the centre has categorically said that the Naga Integration is not happening, Why protagonists in Nagaland are now trying to muddy the water?

Can these not boomerang? What is the Ministry of Home Affairs waiting for? 

In effect, the BJP in Nagaland is not behaving like 'the nationalist BJP'; the NDA dispensation (NDPP-BJP combine) is already hobnobbing with the Congress and other Modi-bashing Members of Parliament in Rajya Sabha.

Spoiling the show and the equilibrium in Manipur especially after months of ethnic conflict can actually provoke central government actions.  

Important organisations such as Village Elders have also pressed an early Solution.  

The trump cards of the Status Quo club are falling apart.  

But the real action is awaited from the centre. Some big heads should roll. 

ends