Source: The Sangai Express
Itanagar, Jun 16:
Arunachal Pradesh Government today opposed the extension of ceasefire between the Centre and NSCN(I-M) in the Naga-inhabited areas in the State alleging it smelt of the Naga organization�s game plan for a greater Nagaland.
"The question of ceasefire in Arunachal Pradesh does not arise as it would give out a wrong message ....No agreement can be imposed on us.
The Centre is making the Naga imbroglio more complicated," its Minister of State for Home Rima Taipodia told PTI in an exclusive interview today.
The peace accord, signed in Bangkok of June 14, was �complicated�, he said and denied that there had been any discussion between the Centre and Arunachal Pradesh on the extension of ceasefire into the state.
Even there had not been any correspondence with the Union Home Ministry on the issue, he said when asked to comment on Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's special emissary K Padmanabiah's reported indication that the Governments of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur had been taken into confidence in the matter.
He alleged the extension of the peace accord to outsideNagaland smelt of NSCN(I-M)'s game plan for a greater Nagaland comprising 1.2 Lakh sq Km.
Nagaland is a small State having an area of only 16579 sq km whereas Arunachal Pradesh with an area of 83,743 sq km is a large State without any Naga population ....Some extremists sneaking in and staying in parts of Arunachal Pradesh does not make it a Naga inhabited area, he said.
Taipodia said the issue of extension of ceasefire in the Northeast was very sensitive and serious and a formal protest would be lodged after Chief Minister Mukut Mithi, who is also in .charge of Home returned from New Delhi tomorrow.
He alleged that it was NSCN(IM)'s plan to create a greater Nagaland, which includes parts of Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh and wondered why the State should be dragged into the contentious issue.
NSCN(I-M) and NSCN(K) had reportedly made inroads in Tirap and Changlang districts of Arunachal bordering Nagaland and Myanmar.
Arunachal Pradesh always opposed the NSCN(I-M) plans.
We do not want any fragmentation of the State, he said.