Eager for Naga final pact as Nagaland polls near
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: September 27, 2022 -
AS the NSCN-IM continues to assert that there would be no compromise on its demand for separate Naga flag and constitution compared to the Working Committee of the NNPCs apparently satisfied with some sort of an arrangement for economic development of Nagaland, settlement of the Naga political issue ahead of the upcoming Nagaland assembly election scheduled in early part of 2023 seems unlikely.
The last few weeks had seen hectic efforts from both the Union government and legislators of Nagaland to resume formal talks with the NSCN-IM but it is getting increasingly clear that finding solution to the vexed Naga issue, acceptable to the stakeholders concerned, will be a difficult task.
In fact, going by the current narratives over the prospect of the negotiations between the government of India and the Muivah-led Naga insurgent outfit, it could be safely stated that a final deal will be possible only if the NSCN-IM retracts from its demand for flag and constitution or the centre cedes to the same demands, both of which seem highly improbable.
As demands of the NSCN-IM and the NNPCs are varied, it is but natural that settling the issue will entail one of the groups either retracting from its tough stand to create conducive atmosphere for the talks to end amicably or the Union government coming up with a two-way deal.
Nevertheless, the Centre had made it clear that the solution should be only one and that too agreeable to all the stakeholders concerned.
This stand of the centre was also already spelt out by the then chief negotiator of India RN Ravi, who had stated that the agreement should be upheld by the stakeholders concerned.
While reports suggest that the NSCN-IM's demand for flag and constitution has been stalling finalisation of the Naga issue, it is worth noting that parties involved in the negotiation are equally concerned with the prospect of the dialogue dragging.
On its part the Union government had rung out the message that the insistence on separate Naga flag and constitution wouldn't be acceptable when it revoked the special status granted to Jammu & Kashmir under Article 370, which the centre sees as undermining the national security.
For the record, the NNPGs had already advised the legislators of the Nagaland assembly to clear their stance on the matter thereby testifying that it is against further extension of the dialogue process.
Therefore, the NSCN-IM, which signed the framework agreement with the Centre in August 2015, insisting on a separate flag and constitution, despite the government's refusal to grant its request, would naturally be perceived as hostile. The NSCN-IM might have ulterior motive, if any, for daring to place such a demand before the national government which has been eyeing to become a global shaper.
However, the evolving situation suggests that in NNPG, the Union government has got an ally that could play a vital role in projecting demands of NSCN-IM as unrealistic and merely intended to delay the much-awaited settlement.
Regardless of the political parties in Nagaland pitching for bringing solution to the Naga issue before the assembly elections, issues and demands pending appropriate redressal measures, indicate that the Naga people will have to wait for a while for settling India's longest running insurgency movement wouldn't be possible without solving the contentious issues first.
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