Will support if pact is in the interest of Nagas and NE : Sonia JLF calls on Cong president
Source: The Sangai Express

Dimapur, February 19 2016 : The Parliamentary Working Co-mmittee of the Joint Legislator's Forum of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly got the assurance of the main Opposition Congress leader and INC president Sonia Gandhi of her party's support to the Naga peace accord "if the contents of the agreement were in the interest of the Nagas, North East and the Nation" .

Quoting Sonia Gandhi, a press communique from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) of Nagaland said, "We are not privy to the contents of the Naga peace accord and we cannot give a blank cheque of support as of now", she told the PWC delegation which called on her this morning at New Delhi at her residence.

"But when the Government reveals the contents for discussion in the Parliament, and if it is in the interest of the Nagas, the North East and the Nation, my party will surely support it" .

She confessed that the Government at the Centre has so far kept the country in the dark about the contents, nature and status of the peace dialogue, but expressed solidarity with the Naga people for the need to find an amicable, honourable and permanent peace in the State and region.

Look Sabha MP Neiphiu Rio was also part of the delegation which met the Congress president this morning.

The delegation took pains to explain to the Congress chief about the formation of the JLF comprising of leaders of all political parties in the State last year, mainly to project a common front and voice of the representatives of the people of Nagaland on the urgency to solve the protracted Naga political problem.

The delegation explained the necessity to form an Opposition-less Government in the State to give a more cohesive, more concerted voice and views on the Naga political problem.

The merger of the Congress party legislators with the NPF was solely for the purpose of finding an early solution to the Naga political problem and not because of any other exigency, the delegation explained to the Congress chief, according to the CMO's note.

The delegation also pointed out to her that it was her party's Government at the Centre in 1992 which recognized the Naga problem as a National problem which requires a political solution, and not a military solution.

Sonia Gandhi gave the delegation a patient hearing and assured her party's support in the Parliament as and when any Bill comes up for discussion "if it was in the interest of the Nagas, the North East and the Nation" .

The up-beat delegates left Delhi this afternoon and are now camping in Kolkata where they are scheduled to meet top leaders of the All India Trinamool Congress tomorrow.

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