The National Socialist Council of Nagalim, better known as the Isak-Muivah faction of the NSCN, has slammed former Nagaland Chief Minister S.C. Jamir for urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to go for a solution to the “Indo-Naga political issue” minus a separate flag and constitution.
The NSCN (I-M) has been insisting on a separate Naga flag and Yehzabo or Naga Constitution as part of the final peace deal. It also claimed that New Delhi had agreed on granting these two demands in the Framework Agreement signed in August 2015.
The Centre denied agreeing to these two demands.
Mr. Jamir on Tuesday met the Prime Minister seeking an early solution to the Naga political issue since the talks concluded officially on October 31, 2019. The former Chief Minister also allegedly made light of the issue of separate flag and constitution.
In a statement issued late on Tuesday, the NSCN (I-M) said Mr. Jamir was campaigning for a solution based on the Agreed Position that “favours his political dream.” The Agreed Position was signed between the Centre and the Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs).
The NNPGs comprise at least six extremist groups ideologically and militarily opposed to the NSCN (I-M). This agreement does not mention a separate flag and constitution.
“During his chief ministership in Nagaland, he attempted to finish the NSCN by employing every available means at his disposal. He raised forces like Nagaland Youth Front, 9th Brigade, and 6th Brigade to go all out against the NSCN,” the statement said, underscoring Mr. Jamir’s “inherent tendency to stoke the fire of controversy”.
Earlier, NSCN (I-M) general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah accused New Delhi of going back on its words and misinterpreting the Framework Agreement aimed at ending the decades-old “Indo-Naga” conflict.
He said the Framework Agreement is clear about the co-existence of “Nagas and India as two entities sharing sovereign power, which broadly means Nagas will not merge with the Union of India. He also said the Centre recognised the legitimate right of the Nagas to territorial integration of all the Naga areas under one political roof.
A separate flag and constitution for the Nagas are considered untenable for New Delhi, especially after the revocation of Article 370 that granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir and allowed it to have its own flag and constitution.
