Sharp response to Kiren Rijiju : Stand off on sovereignty !
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: April 11 2018 -

Tough words-Immature, not competent to comment on the issue.

Clearly the NSCN (IM) is perturbed with the comments of Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Kiren Rijiju that the Naga outfit has dropped the demand for sovereignty.

The angst of the Naga outfit is understandable for this is perhaps that first time that a Minister of State has gone on record to state that the NSCN (IM) has dropped its demand for sovereignty and this is precisely what made the statement of the Union Minister all that more interesting.

It is not the case of The Sangai Express to say whose version is more believable but surely the NSCN (IM) cannot afford to be seen as having climbed down from its earlier demand and hence the outburst against the comments of Kiren Rijiju.

Moreover all should also remember that the Framework Agreement is still a highly secretive pact, with no one having an idea of its contents and claiming that the demand for sovereignty has been dropped would not have gone down well with the NSCN (IM).

The outburst is therefore understandable. However it is also interesting to note that a person who is holding the charge of Minister of State for Home Affairs would not have come out with such a statement with some half baked ideas.

However there still remains the question of whether it was politically prudent to come out with such a statement when the general assumption is that the peace talks between the NSCN (IM) and the Government of India is at a critical phase, especially nearly three years down the line after the Framework Agreement was inked.

A little perplexing it is, but while the NSCN (IM) went hammer and tongs against Kiren Rijiju over the sovereignty question, it did not utter a word on the claim of the Union MoS for Home that the territorial integrity of the States neighbouring Nagaland will be safeguarded.

So does this mean that the NSCN (IM) has given up its demand for a Nagalim, wherein all Naga inhabited areas are to be brought under one administrative unit ?

Silent on one point and ballistic on another, but two points which were central to the outfit earlier.

Here it is again interesting to note that even as the NSCN (IM) went hammer and tongs against Kiren Rijiju, it did not explicitly state that sovereignty is still very much there on the agenda and that this is being discussed in the ongoing peace talks.

To the keen reader this is a point which would not have been missed and the question is where does this leave the Naga people ?

Which side of the story do they take ?

A tough call it will be for sure, but it is important to note that the peace parleys have been on ever since the cease fire pact was signed on August 1, 1997 and significant to note that the peace process has been on for more than 20 years now.

All the more reason why the two sides need to ensure that nothing comes in the way of the final pact and a settlement is brought about to the satisfaction of all.

And this is where it becomes important to note that any solution that is worked out does not give rise to more problems in the future and this can be ensured by respecting the stand of Manipur, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.