Imkong L Imchen, MLA
The Name is IMKONG L IMCHEN, 74 years old, son of Lt Longrisangba Imchen, born on 15th June 1950, Graduated from Kohima College, Post Graduation NEHU, Shillong.
If I push down to my memory lane I freshly remember my Villagers Mangmetong going to our respective Jhum land farm in 1955 being chased out by the Assam Police. Again in 1956, we came back to our Village only to be Grouped with Longkhum Village (Village Grouping) in 1957; however my Father decided that our family will not go to Longkhum instead we went to the jungle and established our camp there. When our camp was attacked by the Indian Army we were saved by the Mighty Hand of God. After that in 1958, my Father and my elder Brother stayed back in the jungle and my Mother took us to Longkhum Village, even though we were kept in a separate Concentration Camp within Longkhum Village. Only in the later part of 1958, we were sent back to Mangmetong Village. During this1957-58 my Village Mangmetong was turned a hot battle zone between the Naga Army and the Indian Army.
Such incidences are still afresh in my mind till today and it shall always linger in my mind till I go down to the grave. My Father always exhibited the Counter-foil of 1951 NNC Plebiscite being the Village Volunteer and later on he was appointed as the Treasurer, Ongpangkong Range Volunteers and a staunch supporter of AZ Phizo and Imkongmeren leadership of NNC and never compromised for the flame of Naga Nationalism for its Independence, even though he is no more today. The 1951 Plebiscite was started from my Village Mangmetong within the Ao-Country.
With all this afresh memories I was roaming on the streets of Nagaland and the infamous Shillong Accord came about in 1975 followed by its annexure, we were so agitated and aggrieved, suffocating ourselves about the treachery committed by our own Naga leaders. Somewhere in 1978, we came across a Joint Letter issued by Isak Chishi Swu, Vice-President, NNC and Th Muivah, General Secretary NNC from Lhasa, later on they established the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) by issuing its Manifesto, manifested their own Vision for the Nagas. I was personally and psychologically relived so much that we the Nagas have a Hope.
The Ceasefire Agreement between the Government of India and the NSCN-IM was entered in 1997 later on Political Talks between this two entity started. In 2015, the Framework Agreement between the Government of India and the NSCN IM was signed to the delight of the Naga People. Now after signing the Framework Agreement, it is now about 8 years and yet no satisfactory message is coming out to the Naga People as a whole till-date. The People of Nagaland are demanding that the Naga Political Issue should come to a reasonable conclusion. I as a People's Representative since 2003 in NLA, I am also alive and concerned about the opinion expressed by the general Naga public. It is felt imperative on my part to reflect the Naga public opinion in the public domain. I feel nothing wrong for openly expressing their opinion through my mouth. I am fully aware that intellectual and concerned sections as well as the general public of Nagaland are also having the same opinion but restraining themselves out of the fear of gun culture prevailing in the State.
Yes, I do admit that I have shifted political parties from NPF to NDPP to BJP owing to the demand of my people and therefore, I feel nothing wrong in it. I am also aware that the NSCN-IM was not in support of my Candidature from 28 Koridang Assembly Constituency during the last several Elections for which I have no complain since the reason best known to them to go against me in my election. I wonder as to why the NSCN-IM is so much against my joining of the BJP Party on January 2023. In fact, I resigned from the Membership of 13th NLA on January 2023. Let the NSCN-IM go against the BJP which will not affect my mind to review my decision of joining BJP. As a matter of fact it is the BJP Party who has taken the bold decision to sign the Framework Agreement under the leadership of Narendra Modi-ji the Prime Minister of India and Rajnath Singh-ji as the Union Home Minister and RN Ravi as the Official Interlocutor of the Government of India. I have stated that the NSCN-IM on numerous occasions expressed their complaint in public domain about their attitude towards the Government of India, however the GOI has not stated any negative opinion in regards to the Framework Agreement and therefore, I reaffirm my statement of Mokokchung on 23rd October 2023 as to why such complain should come in the Public domain while they themselves are Officially engaged in this sensitive Talk.
The Naga Political Issue is a common Naga agenda based on 1951 Plebiscite under the leadership of A Z Phizo which is officially taken cognizance even by GOI. Some of the Naga Tribes may not have taken part in the Naga Plebiscite of 1951 and yet Nagas have struggled together under this Plebiscite slogan. The darkest moment of Naga political history can be considered from 1955 to 1963; this cannot be just wished away by any individual or organisations but should be accepted as factual of Naga political struggle. Therefore, Nagas are the real Stakeholders including the 60 MLAs of Nagaland Legislative Assembly and also the Government servants along with the Naga Public in general, besides the several Resolutions passed in the Nagaland Legislative Assembly under the leadership of different Chief Ministers. It is not an individual owned property but of the Nagas. The sacrifices of Naga People are still afresh in the minds of the Naga People. I have come across the darkest period from 1955-1963 and beyond till-date. I feel nothing wrong expressing my opinion about our Naga Political Issue as expressed by many of my colleagues, Ministers, Legislators etc in different capacities on different occasions. Above all, the Naga intellects and concerned Citizens have been expressing through various Medias in different platforms about their anxieties and also the conduct of the Naga Political Negotiations. In this way I comment my statement to the wisdom of the Nagas as a whole. (I am not interested to conduct a running argument in this regard with anybody or Organisations, though I don't restrained them from expressing their opinion in any platform)
(NB: This press rejoinder was made available during press conference in Kohima on November 7, 2023)
