New Delhi
The Government of India has put the 'final and unfinished stages' of Naga peace talks on a faster track.
"Things are expected at the earliest," a source said adding more so -- "as the core committee headed by Chief Minister Neiphu Rio and other important Naga leaders Y Patton and T R Zeliang are arriving Delhi by Sunday or Monday".
At the directives of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, no less than Union Home Minister Amit Shah is personally monitoring and reviewing thighs. Shah had invited Dr S C Jamir and also convened a meeting of the Core Committee.
While one delegation of ten NSCN (IM) leaders are camping in Delhi and have been interacting with A K Mishra, Government emissary and others; NNPG convener N Kitovi Zhimomi also landed in the capital on Friday afternoon.
As part of the exercise, Shah on Friday (May 13) evening met veteran Naga leader and former CM and ex-Governor of Gujarat and Maharashtra, Dr S C Jamir.
Sources said, Jamir has made a "few important suggestions" so that things are not delayed further and
a final peace pact is inked by all important stakeholders at the earliest.
Dr Jamir was "invited" by the Home Minister and the meeting was "fruitful", the source said adding,
"By now, everyone knows about the Government of India's commitment to give a solution to the Naga political
issue".
The government of India representatives met a 10-member NSCN (IM) delegation during the last two days
and tried to impress upon them the urgency.
Sources said the Government of India has made it clear that there can be no reconsideration of the twin demands
of Flag and a separate Naga Constitution. In fact, the second meeting between GoI representatives and NSCN (IM)
delegation led by V S Atem took place on Friday at the request of NSCN (IM) as they wanted to deliberate
on certain issues all over again.
For records both sides have remained tightlipped.
Next two-three days of deliberations between GoI representatives and various stakeholders including
NNPG leaders, NSCN(IM) delegation and Core Committee members will be vital.
ends
talks. Ten members of #NSCN (IM) meet GoI Represenatives for last two days. GoI give 'serious msges'.
#NNPG leaders also to meet soon.
#AmitShah reviewing things
Split in #NAGALAND People's Front is aimed at cornering BJP
#Nagaland peace talks. 10 member #Naga delegation led by #VSAtem in Delhi for parleys. Centre may share its road map and reiterate no reconsideration of twin demands of #Flag and #Constitution
Ten members also include R H Raising, K Chawang, V Sumi. Centre set to convey - "all stakeholders including Naga public want early solution".
Congressism thrives as Nagaland BJP blinks on
New Delhi
The Congress is semi-dead; but Congressism thrives. And the Nagaland BJP is found blinking.
The experience of being wrong is salutary, and no journalist should be denied this.
What are the 'peace' stakeholders busy at ?
Buying time, delay Solution and conduct an 'election' with adequate use of resources - both gunpower and moneypower - and come back to power ?
There are times in history when silence can be a culpable wrong.
Yet, sheer opportunism is going all around. The split in NPF was one development
which to many was on expected lines. But the most amazing part is how easily the 'NPF left overs' of four legislators have easily settled down for political business with the NDPP leadership.
The most exciting part was naming of a so-called 'co chairman' to the United Democratic
Alliance.
Now imagine, there is one more split in NPF - does it mean we may have another 'co chairman'
and if BJP also splits as the craze for 'safe elections' is too tempting, will we have the fourth co-chairman?
On this score, both NDPP leadership and NPF legislators are wrong. It is anybody's guess that their being part of the government serves no real purpose for peace formula and expediting the Solution process.
This is instead politics of 'mutual admiration club' and 'appeasement'. The Congress might have disappeared politically in Nagaland but all that's happening smacks of Congress culture.
The good old refrain - 'we will give you Padma Shri, only condition is you be silent and look the other way'.
Both Rio and T R Zeliang are ex-Congress leaders, so would be half the legislators in NDPP.
The party chief Chingwang Konyak is also a former Congressman and briefly he has done business with the likes of Arjun Singh and N D Tiwari in the Indira Congress (Tiwari) also.
Nothing guides a Congressman or a former Congressman in politics more than playing self-important, self-virtuous and power monger.
Look around - you have Sharad Pawars - who did not mind making Bal Thackeray's son the Chief Minister of Maharashtra. Look at Mamata Banerjee, just to be in power she does not mind West Bengal turn into a 'worse governed state' than it was under communists.
At the same time, there is no dearth in personal ambition.
This is something L K Advani had warned long back.
I do not grudge Chizami MLA Kezhienyi Khalo getting chairmanship of the District Planning Board;
as elected representative he has right to the same.
But designating 'co-chairmanship' to NPF legislature party leader Kuzholuzo Neinu alias Azo was unwarranted.
First, few days it appeared as new legislature party leader, Azo wants to fight. That's the Tenyimia spirit too.
Look at K Therie's solitary battle over the years as a Congressman when the grand old party is left only on Twitter.
When Azo told me he does not have 'enmity' with Chief Minister Rio, I admired the gesture. But to settle
for co-chairmanship and cabinet status does no augur well to a fighting cock!
Is this the 'new ideas' he has to revive the sagging fate of his fledgling party ?
Why the NDPP leadership is busy keeping '60 MLAs happy' more than anything else is a bit baffling.
The easiest way to curb criticism from a Delhi journo is to raise the well known question - "Kuun asey ho
(read, Who is this plain manu?)".
Certainly, I am a bonafide 'outsider' to Naga politics and tele calls are expected.
Nevertheless, in all these, the real issues ought not to be forgotten. What is veteran Shurhozelie doing?
Certainly he is no semi-saintly man like his mentor and colleague of many years - Late Vizol;
but at this age he was expected to try to uphold some 'regional party sanctity'.
The following comparison may not be very healthy. I was never a Jamir-bhakt.
One needs to add here that this scribe has always remained an ardent critic
of S C Jamir.
Be it be his governance days, be it his questionable role in dismissing Goa Chief Minister Manohor Parrikar -
I would not spare him.
But at least at his ripe age, at present S Chubatoshi Jamir is seen working closely with the PMO to ensure an early Solution.
 |
| Jamir: Playing Modi's 'Statesman' |
This ought to be admired even as a feeling goes that the veteran Naga politician is trying to settle his old scores.
That could be true and part of politics; and he gets the benefit of doubt.
The 'NDPP leadership' would do well to judge its real friends and otherwise. If T R Zeliang is a friend, Neiphiu Rio does not need a critic in media as well.
The otherday, Mr Zeliang announced that the merger between 21 NPF legislators with NDPP took place because they want to stall BJP.
It was no trade secret; but the situation did not warrant a neo-defector (T R Zeliang) to make the announcement.
Such statements only amount to add to Rio's woes when it comes to handling of BJP central leaders.
Zeliang's overenthusiasm to give sound bytes has already earned him a mild warning from NNPG.
Reacting to Zeliang’s statement in the media that he would seek the highest offer from
the Centre on the Naga issue, the working committee of the NNPGs, in a statement in March, said: “Conducting pre-emptive strikes in the corridors of power in New Delhi seeking, in their own words, ‘highest offer’ in the impending Indo-Naga political solution goes against the principle of Agreed Position.”
Advising Zeliang to understand the word ‘facilitator’, the NNPG also asked him whether he is facilitating or doing ‘something else’.
On the contrary, Chief Minister Rio should thank BJP national vice president M Chuba Ao for calling spade a spade when he said such defections were only part of natural political phenomenon.
Amidst all these happenings, what is happening to the peace process and efforts to ensure an early Solution; no body can answer it straight.
May be, we are faced with two big questions - Can Solution still come after 2023 elections ? And if that happens whether the same politicians we are talking about will be still around running in VIP cars ?
"Likely" is the first answer and 'probably' is to the second.
Then why this desperation ?
Gone are the days when Peace could be sold itself.
ends
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