Memory piece ::: Naga Peace Talks, ex-babus and roadblock ---- originally written in Oct 2021 :::: "I cannot vouch that New Delhi has kept all its promises made to Nagas"

Life is never a linear progression.

The 'New India' as PM Narendra Modi keeps mentioning, can give a solemn assurance that it will not commit any breach of faith. 

Time to create a new set of 'gentleman's promises' and time to pledge to honour those. The Naga hills are crying for peace.

All eyes on Namo's 'next move'

To state that the Naga peace talks have hit a roadblock over the issue of Naga flag and a separate constitution is actually a half truth. 

If these twin issues today can derail the basic peace process that began in 1997, it may not be erroneous to suggest that the peace negotiations never took place all these years.  

The peace talks were kicked off during the tenure of I. K. Gujral as the Prime Minister. The United Front-II under Gujral, a suave former foreign minister himself, in the backdrop of UF-1 under H. D. Deve Gowda, was on a weak turf. 

A weak Prime Minister : Mishandled many things 

But the most precious episode of 'peace efforts' with ultras took place during this regime heralding much optimism among various stakeholders. Most important players were aware of the various complexities in Naga peace parleys as this was unlike the Mizo talks in the mid-1980s.  

The Vajpayee government, which soon succeeded the Gujral regime, appointed Swaraj Kaushal as the first peace interlocutor in 1998. Kaushal, husband of the late BJP leader Sushma Swaraj, had handled the Mizo talks and was also Mizoram Governor later. The NSCN(IM) had issues with Kaushal and initially, it said the peace interlocutor was trying to resolve the Naga issue using 'Mizoram prism'. Well, things became difficult for Swaraj Kaushal and despite Sushma being a blue-eyed girl of both Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L. K. Advani, Kaushal gave up the assignment.   

Since then, the Government of India under Vajpayee, Manmohan Singh and now Prime Minister Narendra Modi has banked on former central government officials. A retired IAS officer and former Union Home Secretary, K. Padmanabhaiah was the second negotiator.

He gave indulgence 

.... to the militant group and talks happened across the globe including a few well known South East Asian hubs. 

Padmanabhiah : Loved travelling overseas 

In 2000-01, the Vajpayee government had toyed with the idea of putting in former Lok Sabha Speaker, P. A. Sangma, as the peace negotiator. This was objected to by Sangma's fellow Congress colleague Tarun Gogoi, who said no active politician from the Northeast should be given such a role. 

Sangma was furious with both Vajpayee and Tarun Gogoi.  

P A Sangma 

Nothing much has happened in terms of details about the parleys since then. The then Nagaland Chief Minister S. C. Jamir knew well the machinations of his Naga brethren and hence he kept insisting with L. K. Advani and others that the 'agenda' of talks should be made public. 

The veteran Congressman had reportedly entrusted G. K. Pillai, then joint secretary in the Home ministry, to pass on the requisite question and information to L. K. Advani. 

But Jamir's voice was ignored perhaps deliberately; and also because Jamir was a trusted Congressman. He also never enjoyed any positive vibes with NSCN(IM) general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah.  

Had the agenda been 'made public' in the 1990s or even in the new millennium, we would not have had headlines screaming in October 2021 that the Naga peace talks have hit a roadblock due to twin issues of flag and constitution (Yehzabo). 

Even then, these twin issues were hanging fire but the babus (especially the retired club) did not brief the political leadership well and things went on. It was a virtual status quo in talks since 1997; and today it is circa 2021. Except for the issue of 'unity or bringing all contiguous Naga areas under one administrative umbrella' nothing much was perhaps discussed in a concrete manner.

Blogger at Kohima : On way to Post Office/old NSF Office  

After Padmanabhaiah, the Manmohan Singh government tried R. S. Pandey as the negotiator. 

A former state chief secretary and Nagaland being his state cadre, it was presumed that his approach would be different. On this front, sources say, Pandey often faced a handicap as then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh hesitated to give 'political clearance'. 

In between the Manmohan Singh-led UPA-2 lost popularity over corruption issues and slowly its credibility. 

Pandey resigned in the run-up to the 2014 general elections and suddenly appeared along with Sunil Shastri and another former babu, R. K. Singh one afternoon and joined the BJP. R. K. Singh, the IAS officer who arrested L. K. Advani in 1990.

R K Singh also became Union Power Minister.   

Under Modi, right from the beginning it was NSA Ajit Doval show vis-a-vis Naga talks. Rajnath Singh as Home Minister did not interfere much. 

R. N. Ravi, a friend of Doval, was made the new interlocutor. 

The NSCN (IM) never trusted Ravi but as the PMO put its foot down, talks went on. In between Doval and Ravi -- both from Intelligence background -- worked on other fronts and other Naga groups. 

The Naga National Political Group (NNPG), a conglomerate of seven Naga groups operating in Nagaland, came forward and said they were keen to ink a peace deal to ensure 'end of violence and arson' in Naga hills.

Ravi worked hard with the NSCN (IM) also and on August 3, 2015, he signed a Framework Agreement with none other than Muivah himself.  The maverick Muivah had no option as his chairman Isak Chishi Swu was hospitalised in a serious condition. Subsequently, Ravi worked with the NNPG and on Nov 17, 2017, another pact titled 'Agreed Position or Preamble' was signed between the NNPG and the Government of India. 

The NNPGs are ready to ink the peace pact. They made it clear that they understand Prime Minister Narendra Modi's stance vis-a-vis flag and a separate constitution.  

Another group led by Niki Sumi too has come forward showing keenness to embrace peace and development. In fact, in a recent statement after meeting with new interlocutor A. K. Mishra, it pledged to go by the "aspirations and wishes of the Naga people".  

But the latest salvo (2021) from the NSCN(IM) does not augur well for the peace process. "....the talks failed to live up to all the hype as the Government of India continues to indulge in political escapism" on the very issues that are holding up the road to the Naga solution, the NSCN (IM) has said in a statement on Oct 23, 2021.

The negativity could have serious implications.  

(I have been proved right. The NSCN-IM has split in 2026 with the creation of Eastern Flank and the talks now look derailed in more ways than anyone.) 

Firstly, the Government of India may have to take a call to go ahead with some agreements with other groups -- NNPG and the Niki Sumi-led faction. In such a situation, there could be negative and violent fallout in more ways than one. 

Moreover, the NSCN(IM) has a strong presence in Manipur as the Tankhul Naga tribe (of Muivah himself) has a sizable presence in key  pockets of Manipur. This Northeastern state goes to the polls along with Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Goa in February-March. 

(Added in 2026 : Yet again, polls are due in Manipur in 2027 March and the entire state including Naga inhabited areas are in the midst of violence)  

The Meitei Manipuris, the majority population in Manipur, have been always cautious that in no way the state's boundary should be affected. Violence in Naga inhabited hilly regions in Manipur would again hamper smooth conduct of elections in the state.

The Sentinel clipping in 2021 

Future Tense:

Now, what is the future road map? Are we heading towards the doctrine of 'Promissory estoppel'? 

This term in jurisprudence means that the government of the day is 'stopped or can be prevented' from going back on its promises. Even the NSCN(IM) says that the Nagas do not have faith in the Government of India's promises. 

"The Nagas cannot be carried away by the 'post solution narrative' which is just a well laid trap," said NSCN(IM) a few years back.

As someone who has been covering governance under various dispensations, I cannot vouch that New Delhi has kept all its promises either to the Nagas or to the other sections of people. 

But under the given circumstances, allowing one or more Naga groups to go back to the jungle will not be advisable.  (Eastern Flank has established toehold in Myanmar)   

The Congress party has already said (in 2921) that, ---

 "The Naga peace talks have suffered a serious setback due to the ham-handed approach of the Modi government". 

Well, not many common Nagas will disagree with this allegation, but the same Naga people also know that the Congress party lost a golden opportunity between 2004 and 2014 when they were in power.

On the other hand, as a practical solution or a road map, one can suggest that the Modi Government should prepare a draft agreement for Nagaland and Naga people; and announce all its economic packages and other policy announcements. 

It can perhaps also express regret if not tender an apology for all 'past mistakes' and failing to keep 'old promises' made in the 1960 Statehood agreement to the Nagas.

* this piece was run by news agency IANS in Oct 2021 .. and the article was published in 'Morung Express', 'The Sentinel' (Guwahati) and also 'The Nagaland Post'. 

Added on Nov 1 (2026) :  

This is now a season of big ado about a letter from Home Secretary. The hype is about the role given to Shri Ajit Lal. Rio says: ".... the earlier interlocutor, AK Mishra, was a Northeast adviser and not a political interlocutor, and that his talks were limited to underground factions, which did not lead to a solution but resulted in further disarray.

Rio said the government of India had responded on September 11, 2026, stating that it had decided to continue the talks under a minister or group of ministers and had officially appointed Ajit Lal as the interlocutor for the Naga peace talks.

Either Nagaland CM, Neiphiu Rio, understands a lot or he remains innocent MLA (like those days as NIDC chairman in 1990).  

Is he suggesting a group of Ministers of State will be more powerful than Amit Shah ? Or he means -- Lal has more 'say' about pleasing some of his friends unlike R N Ravi. In the meantime, an Angami businessman is the 'go between' for peace parleys with NSCN-IM. The gentleman Keviletuo Kiewhuo is known as a close 'operative' of Rio. 

New Delhi is aware of this. 

Mr Kevi is also known as someone who has confidence of V S Atem.  

There is pressure for Solution. But 'my favourite chief minister' wants a role for himself and his party NPF (along with Mani Shankar Aiyars) once Solution comes. Should NNPGs prepare themselves for interesting times ? Nagas also understand this. 

No need to undermine A K Mishra's contributions to the cause of peace in Nagaland.  

As his old friend, we may remind Rio --- some words, phrases and language of a man is like the person's DNA.  One can get caught.

Truth of capital 'T' is dead long back ... nevertheless. 

ends