Kitovi-led NNPGs question Rajya Sabha Opposition MPs’ letter on Indo-Naga issue

Nirendra Dev *

“There were two mutually agreed agreements that is the Agreed Position and Framework Agreement between GoI and the Working Committee, NNPGs on November 17, 2017 and of NSCN (IM) on August 3, 2015 respectively,” said a statement from the NNPG.

It stated that these are essential to bring about a peaceful solution to the long-protracted Indo-Naga conflict. “Overlooking the hard-earned agreement called the ‘Agreed Position’ seems ignorant on the part of the 21 MPs as it contradicts the agreements rather than coming to an acceptable conclusion,” the WC NNPGs stated.

A press release from the WC NNPGs said while the Working Committee appreciating the concern of the 21 MPs, however, stated that “emphasizing the pressing issue only on Framework agreement is a total ignorance of the ground reality.”

The faction-ridden Naga politics both overground and underground now already have two factions of the NNPG. The umbrella organisation came into being by 2015-16 and in the run up to the Agreed Position was inked.

The split in the NNPG came in April 2024 just during the election season across India and that hinted that the anti-Solution group had played a role.

N Kitovi Zhimomi was impeached in his own organisation NSCN-Unification. Kitovi has since floated a parallel organisation. The other group is headed by Neokpao Konyak as the president and Alezo Venuh as the Ato Kilonser.

The N Kitovi Zhimomi-led Working Committee, Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs) questioned the “wisdom” of the 21 Rajya Sabha MPs with regard to their recent letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah demanding the appointment of a permanent interlocutor for the Indo-Naga talks and that details about the status of the talks in Parliament.

It further urged the 21 MPs to be aware that simply demanding a new interlocutor without knowing the detailed ground reality is “nothing but to delay the solution when talks have been thoroughly discussed and mutually completed on October 31, 2019 when Nagas are anticipating for early solution.”

The WC NNPGs reminded the MPs that during the session of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly on January 17, 2020, the Governor of Nagaland had addressed the House, stating that the negotiation which was going on for years between the Government of India and Naga National Political Groups has been successfully concluded on October 31, 2019.

“And subsequently under the Convenorship of P Chidambaram of the Parliamentary Standing Committee, the Naga Peace Accord was submitted to the Rajya Sabha on July 19, 2018. The same was submitted to the Lok Sabha on the same date,” it said.

Further, the WC NNPGs claimed that the Government of India “reached an understanding with the NSCN (IM), which agreed for a settlement within the Indian federation, with a special status.”

“The Interlocutor informed the committee that this was a departure from their earlier position of ‘with India, not within India.’ Therefore, the question of a new interlocutor does not arise unless there is any new agenda to be included in the agreement,” it said.

The Working Committee appealed to the 21 MPs to “carry forward their valuable support in honouring both the agreements for achieving a peaceful, honourable, acceptable inclusive solution.”

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