Our Correspondent
Kohima | January 24
Nagaland Minister for Health & Family Welfare Imkong L. Imchen today stated that he was amazed by the statement of Ram Madhav, MP, BJP National general secretary and in-charge of North East, wherein the latter on January 22 had countered the various Naga organizations’ call for ‘Solution before Election’ with ‘Election for solution so as to help bring solution closer.’
“I do not understand what he really meant by ‘closer,’” said Imchen while talking to some media persons here.
The Framework Agreement was signed with the NSCN (IM) almost 3 years ago, Imchen said and further pointed to the Ceasefire Agreement with the NSCN (IM) which has already completed 20 years.
“To the Naga people, 20 years is long enough to bring about political settlement of the Naga issue. The Naga people are looking upon the good quality leadership in the person of Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India specially after entering into Framework Agreement on 3rd August 2015. Besides that he has appointed RN Ravi as political interlocutor between the NSCN (IM) and GoI which is under direct control of Prime Minister Office, previously which was under home ministry, which Naga people interpreted as a sign of sincerity and commitment with the purpose to bring about this long standing Naga political issue to an early amicable settlement,” he said.
The minister said that Ram Madhav is well aware that after entering into ceasefire agreement with NSCN (IM), Naga people have already conducted four state general elections and “still then Ram Madhav thinks that solution to the Naga political issue is not closer unless state assembly election is held.”
“If he is putting this as a condition to the Naga people, I don’t think Naga people will take it sweetly. Yet, if Madhav wanted to put this condition upon the Naga people as a prize to give political settlement, it will be a very good on his part to give us the exact time line to bring about a political settlement. Perhaps, it will be very good if the BJP party from the highest level/endorse his statement as the official position of BJP party that includes even the state BJP party unit,” Imchen asserted.
Insisting that the BJP party must clarify this statement at the earliest, he maintained “Naga people deserve clarification.”
Also stating that he had on a number of occasions called out the Indian National Congress (INC) party for thinking that keeping the issue pending for a long time is their success story, Imchen said, “They have kept the Naga issue for the last 65 years pending even though Naga people never agreed that.”
“Keeping it pending never is a success story,” he added. Imchen meanwhile suggested that the BJP party was “over estimating” their strength and position in the state. This, he said, will eventually be proved by the mandate of the people if at all election is conducted.
“We are fully aware of the game plan of the BJP and its devises while dealing with the NPF party as well as other splinter groups and therefore we are also prepared to respond proportionately as and when right timing arrives,” he said.
Meanwhile, on the statement of Naga Hoho and other civil societies that they would not permit the conduct of the ensuing elections in the state, the Minister said, “I don’t know whether they are intending to boycott the elections or they are thinking not to permit the conduct of elections because these two are different dimensions.”
Reiterating that Naga People’s Front (NPF) has not used the word “boycott” but only endorsed the Assembly resolution for solution to Naga political issue before the elections, Imchen therefore expressed hope that the Naga civil societies would decide appropriately and convey the same to the political parties.
