Muivah's claim on 'integrating Naga inhabited areas' triggers protest in Assam
No decision on Greater Nagaland, claims Central Govt
Source: The Sangai Express / PTI / The Pioneer

New Delhi, March 25 2017: The Centre today strongly refuted as "erroneous" the reports that it has agreed to carve out a larger Nagaland State, saying no such decision has been taken.

A Home Ministry spokesperson said some reports have appeared recently to the effect that the Government of India has agreed to carve out a larger Nagaland State by taking away territories of States contiguous to Nagaland.

"Such reports are erroneous.

It is clarified that there is no such agreement or decision by the Government of India," the spokesperson said.

Thuingaleng Muivah, general secretary, NSCN-IM (Naga insurgent group) was quoted recently that the 'Framework Agreement' signed with the Centre two years back has recognised the outfit's demand for territorial integration of all Naga inhabited areas in the region.

Muivah's claim on 'integrating Naga inhabited areas' triggers protest in Assam

The Framework Agreement was signed on August 3, 2015 by Muivah and the Government's interlocutor RN Ravi in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

The agreement came after over 80 rounds of negotiations spanning 18 years with the first breakthrough in 1997 when the ceasefire agreement was sealed.

"The pact had set the political parameters of the final solution," officials said.

PTI .

Muivah's claim triggers protests in Assam : Protests rocked the streets of Assam on Friday, particularly the districts having borders with Nagaland after Naga militant group � NSCN (IM) general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah had recently said the Central Government had recognised the 'legitimate rights of the Naga people for integration of all Naga inhabited areas' .

Several students' organisations took to the streets in Golaghat and Charaideu district on Friday and burnt effigies of the Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal demanding to make his stand clear over the bilateral Framework Agreement between the NSCN (IM) and Central Government signed in 2015 .

The people of Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh fear that they would lose substantial areas of their territories if the Centre agrees to the plan of greater 'Nagalim' as demanded by the NSCN (IM) .

Assam's Opposition party Congress said the Framework Agreement between the Central Government and the NSCN (IM) had threatened the territorial integrity of Assam and added that the party was going to oppose the same tooth and nail.

"I demand Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal to make his stand clear over the recent statement of the NSCN (IM) general secretary Th Muivah where he said that the Government of India had recognised the 'legitimate rights of the Nagas for integration of Naga inhabited areas," said leader of Opposition of Assam Legislative Assembly, Debabrata Saikia.

"The Central Government signed the Framework Agreement with the NSCN (IM) leadership on August 3, 2015.However, the BJP-led Central Government has not taken into confidence the people of the three Sta-tes who would be affected by proposed territorial integrity of Naga inhabited areas," said Assam Pradesh Congress Committee spoke-sman Rituparna Konwar on Friday.

"If what Muivah has said is true, then vast areas of Tinsukia, Dima Hasao, Golaghat, Sivsagar, Jorhat, and Karbi Anglong would be affected.

We want a lasting settlement of the Naga problem but not at the cost of people of any neighbouring States," he said while demanding the Assam Chief Minister to impress upon the Central Government to make public the Framework Agreement.