Truth is not the first casualty in Naga peace talks ... since Falsehood is often seen as a smart diplomacy and Propaganda only a key tool.
Nagaland to get a new Governor in Nand Kishore Yadav.
The new Governor, Union Home Ministry key mandarins and new advisor North East, Ajit Lal will now have to deliberate upon and exchange notes on important issues/finer aspects of the Naga issue.
Key points:
* Govt of India has made it absolutely and very clear that there will be only One Solution
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Govt wants all Naga groups to sit together and negotiate
-- to work on a Common Draft and a Common Platform
$$ That means that the proposed Common Draft will be based on the Framework Agreement of 2015 and also the Agreed Position of 2017
** Perhaps the NSCN-IM wants only reference to Framework Agreement.
The one-time potent insurgent group wants to signify that they are the only Naga organisation (sole guardian) who can bring Solution to the vexed Naga issue.
And no one else.
Notably; this is peculiarly based on a typical Communist ideology and is at times essentially anti-democratic, says an insider in the know of things.
This Chinese-inspired phenomenon discourages 'other shades of views'. It's basically saying - My way is not only the best way. That's the ONLY WAY.
** The challenge therefore will be talk of Naga unity or ensuring that the Division is not continued or the mennce has to be done away with.
Delay in getting a Solution earlier might have hurt Govt of India's strategic interests; but a realisation should dawn that No Solution status-quo will in the years to come harm Naga people the most.
Reportedly a section of church leaders both in Nagaland and outside the state are already appreciating this.
Inclusiveness also gets Redefined in different quarters.
Inclusiveness for Nagas or in NSCN-IM perspective is -- the Nagas outside the present state of Nagaland be 'accommodated' in the larger scope of discussions and in the process for political Solution.
Inclusiveness from New Delhi's perspective is - Solution must give importance/weightage/respect to all Naga militant organisations. This thinking was behind 'bringing' in the NNPG into the scope of discussions in 2017.
This later moved towards signing of the Agreed Position and the Status Paper on Nov 17, 2017.
For obvious reasons; the NSCN-IM did not appreciate this development.
** New Delhi mandarins say -- To question the 'intention' about Inclusiveness --- is basically to keep the talks stalled. This is exactly what the NPF-BJP govt is also allegedly encouraging or is seen .... seems to be doing.
This by itself is a big Challenge even for navigating further in meaningful talks.
New Delhi complaint is : Why accuse Govt of India of dividing the Nagas when Nagas have themselves stayed away from unity moves !!
The refrain from New Delhi is -- the Govt is only trying to ensure One Solution.
That means - there is a conviction that 'Separate Solutions will be no Solution'.
***
But the developments related to Eastern Nagaland and FNTA is another curious development which has actually snubbed the theory of Nagalim.
Questions that are pertinent ones - must include
** Who is actually Dividing the Nagas?
-- Either the underground leaders and groups and the Govt of India ?
-- New Delhi denies this charge.
From national security and geo-strategic points of views --- keeping divisions amongst Nagas along the border in politically and ethnically sensitive states do not serve any interest for Govt of India.
However, the same thing cannot be told about political parties.
The 'hurriedness' shown by Congress during its heyday and now the BJP to establish their party bases in Nagaland or in Naga-inhabited areas do not serve long term interests.
In fact, regional parties - genuinely working on democratic structures and electoral politics should have been encouraged more.
Instead the political parties including the Congress and the BJP and 'overground leaders' and a section of intellectuals for their own political and other materialistic interests have misguided the future course of Naga polity and the anti-insurgency policy.
Genuine and organic growth of Naga regional parties would have discouraged armed struggle. But the policy makers and others even in Delhi did not appreciate it even in the 197os or in the contemporary settings.
Not only Naga politicians or New Delhi's babudom-fed Netas ... even business people and big contractors enjoying the 'harvest seasons' from Nagaland's cash flow have encouraged national political parties the BJP the Congress and even the likes of Janata Dal to cultivate misguided ambitions.
In terms of understanding the Modi Govt's intent; while the charge of adhocism does stick to it; the Govt of India since 2014 had worked on path-breaking formulae.
Both Framework Agreement and the Agreed Position were signed by Govt of India in all sincerity. The Govt and the Prime Minister Narendra Modi understood the intricacies and hence the then negotiator R N Ravi was asked to sign.
For such political agreements - generally the Union Home Secretary has to sign.
But one clear message from FA and the Agreed Position is -- status of both the preliminary pacts is the same.
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| Blogger and a Naga hut |
Another key point - must be understood well by the new advisor Ajit Lal and New Governor Nand Kishore Yadav is that:
Expecting the civil society to bring multiple Naga groups together under one umbrella will not work. It has not worked in the past.
Such a mission is only like a Mirage. It's money spending scheme and at the same time - Time consuming too while encouraging 'powerbrokers'.
Govt of India has been waiting patiently.
But if the Civil Society has failed to bring Naga factions together; that does not mean the GoI should give up hopes or stop working on it.
On this backdrop, the Take Away is
-- The Solution to Naga issue - however complex and tough is -- the Govt of India's commitment and a national duty vis-a-vis welfare of the people, peace, prosperity and also also national security and geo-strategic.
Because Nagas are in key border states, the sensitive International angle cannot be undermined.
Hence, Home Minister Amit Shah and his new team for Nagaland (along with Governor Yadav) have to keep in mind that --
** The GoI cannot keep waiting for the civil society to bring Naga factions together
In the past so many years; even the Political Affairs Committee etc have also tried but failed. In most cases; the Naga underground leaders do not trust state politicians and vice versa.
Now critical questions --- indirectly referred to by NPF legislator K Azo Nienu on the floor of the Assembly --
** Has the onus to bring unity and Solution now shifted to the Fed Up Nagas and the Concern Forum of Nagaland ?
Notably, while intricacies of Inclusiveness has to be understood; what's important is that the Process of Inclusion of various issues in the talks and in the proposed Common Draft is also important.
A note was circulated around 2013-14 when former Nagaland chief secretary R S Pandey was handling the Naga peace parleys.
It had pointed out that 'Overlapping Naga politics' is essentially the game of one or two Naga tribe(s).
They may want the best of the world in Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh.
These vested interests (either individuals and otherwise) want a sort of a permanent mechanism under which the 'communities' can continue to have political dominance.
New Delhi mandarins say -- This is not lost in the phrase Pan Naga body ete etc.
*** Important points to work will be -- Mutual understanding is road to Mutual Solution.
Why one armed group and the Status Quo club - allegedly with BJP's hidden blessings is not working for this ?
This is a primary question - common people ask and know very well that answers may not come so easily.
Thus, Home Minister Shah will have to lead a team to explore new possibilities -- something not tried sincerely till now.
'India-bashing' is an agenda; because that's the easiest thing to do.
Linking this anti-India stance to other controversies such as Hindutva and Vande Mataram rows do not serve any purpose. Some of these issues are for national politics and the 'national politics' will handle them all in due time.
The Govt of India was displeased in Oct 2025 when the NSCN-IM and its leader Thuingaleng Muivah did not maintain the decorum of the visit to Somdal village and other parts of Manipur.
This had reportedly angered PM Narendra Modi too.
An impression is often given that 'Shanti ka theka Delhi ka responsibility hae' -- as if only New Delhi requires peace and therefore has to work for it even at the cost of national pride.
One former Nagaland chief minister J B Jasokie had his unique style of making candid statements.
"Some communities are not good at even begging for funds and Shanti (peace)," he had said once in the 1990s.
ends
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