Dimapur, November 15 (MExN): The people of Nagaland deserve peace, justice and developments which can only be enjoyed post solution but not post election, the Ex-Parliamentarian’s Association of Nagaland (Ex-PAN) said in a recent representation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In doing so, the Association called on Modi to respond to the demands of the people and bring about a solution to the Naga political issue without any delay.
In the representation, dated November 12, the Ex-PAN noted that three years have passed since the public declaration that the ‘nitty gritty processes of negotiations’ to the vexed Indo-Naga political issue has been brought to its official closure on October 31, 2019. However, the expected political solution has remained elusive.
It said that since 1997 when the negotiations began, the long drawn 25 years of dialogue had taken an immense toll on the life and economy of the citizens of Nagaland. “The undue advantages being taken on the prevailing situation by unscrupulous elements such as the Naga political groups, the politicians and the bureaucrats alike have marginalized the general public particularly people living poverty line, the downtrodden and the unemployed youth,” the representation stated, while adding that the prevailing situation has pushed the state’s economy to rock bottom.
The Ex-PAN also referred to the events before the 2018 State Assembly elections wherein elections were conducted under the slogan ‘election for solution,’ and underscored that five years had passed since the elections, “and we are perplexed as to how long and what would be the next parlance of the GoI (Government of India) to further delay the political solution since the Assembly has completed its tenure.”
Further, the Ex-PAN maintained that Nagaland remains the epicenter of the Naga national Movement and the heartbeat of all its activities. As such, the citizens of Nagaland are determined and ready for political solution under any circumstances. “The cry of the people is for solution first and not election. Indeed, the people of Nagaland deserve peace, justice and developments which can be enjoyed post solution only but not post election,” it added.
In this context, the Ex-PAN stated that it is “rather overdue for the Government of India to give the altar call to Naga negotiators to respond to the call for solution or leave it without further delay.” There is no better opportunity for the negotiating parties to have the solution or call it a day without giving false hope to the people with one or the other excuses, it said, while calling on PM Modi to respond positively to the demands of the people of Nagaland.
