Dimapur, July 31 (MExN): Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) President K Therie said the forthcoming Assembly election in Nagaland would be a referendum for the Naga people between a ‘settlement or no settlement’ of the Naga political issue and a ‘secular government or a government thriving on the religious divide.’
In a press release on Sunday, Therie said that the July 16 resolution adopted by the UDA government’s Parliamentary Committee on Naga Political Issue, which gave hope of settlement, was thrown to the dustbin.
He said that contrary to his belief that the ‘people’s representatives’ had finally understood the aspirations of the stakeholders for settlement to the Agreements between the Government of India and the negotiating teams, “Instead of pursuing the resolution for settlement, it is shocking that Seat Sharing Agreement was flashed in the media.”
He noted that after all other meetings on the issue of Naga political problem, the Core Committee of UDA would ‘rush to Delhi with the resolutions.’ “But surprisingly this time, neither the Core Committee nor the allied Partners have gone to submit the resolution,” he added.
According to Therie, settlement of the Agreements would benefit both Nagaland and Nagas outside Nagaland.
He said, for Nagaland, the political structures would be improved by way of delimitation of Rajya Sabha, Lok Sabha, state assembly and creation of Upper House.
“Nagas outside Nagaland would have gained Territorial Autonomous Councils under Schedule VI with direct funding in the manner of States and UTs through Finance Commission Award. To this effect, the Constitution was amended mandating the Finance Commission (FC) to recommend devolution of funds in 2019,” he said, adding that the amendment had also transferred 30 Departments to the Councils sharing powers of State. Resettlement scheme for all Naga National Workers and Economic package for development were also in the pipeline, he added.
Stating that Congress had decided to support the Agreements because of these reasons, Therie said, “It is surely an improvement. It is sad we are missing the opportunity once again and this time roadblock to settlement is the people’s government.”
