Source: The Sangai Express
Kohima, December 05:
NSCN (I-M) on Tuesday took strong exception to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's reported statement on territorial integrity of Manipur during his recent visit to Imphal and accused the Centre of maintaining "double standards" in resolving the protracted Naga political conflict.
The Prime Minister addressing a public rally at Imphal reportedly said, "the territorial integrity of Manipur would be safeguarded honouring the sentiments of the people of the State".
Describing the State as "apathetic and brazen", senior NSCN (I-M) leader Johny Dilbung in a release asked the Prime Minister to "first take an in-depth account of people's history and their identity before making
any statement".
The outfit criticised the Centre for the "impasse in the Indo-Naga dialogue" for resolving the vexed Naga political conflict and accused it of maintaining double standards.
"When double standard policies are adopted by Government of India towards the Nagas and commitments dishonoured deliberately, the Indo-Naga talk is doomed to collapse," Dilbung maintained.
NSCN(I-M) asserted that when two parties sit across the negotiating table to settle an issue, the negotiators should understand the situation while recognising and respecting each other's rights and sentiments for an acceptable solution.
"But when pre-emptive conditions that are inalienable and which can not be compromised are imposed upon the party that engaged in talks, then all respectable and honourable essence of unconditional bilateral peace negotiations would fail," they added.