Our Correspondent
Kohima | September 15
National General Secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Ram Madhav on Saturday claimed that the ongoing talks between the Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs) and the Government of India (GoI) are in the advanced stage and a solution is to be expected soon.
Addressing the media at a press conference at the Lerie Heliport, Kohima, Madhav, who is here to discuss on the preparations of the upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled in 2019, said the GoI and the Naga political groups were thrashing out a solution that would be acceptable to all, including the neighbouring states of Manipur, Assam and the Arunachal Pradesh.
“A solution that is acceptable and satisfactory to all is being worked out. I am happy that the Naga leadership is also positively progressing in the negotiation. We are very hopeful and from our party we are urging that at least an early settlement is reached,” the BJP National General Secretary stated.
While expressing his inability to provide any deadlines since he is not a party to the negotiation, the BJP National Secretary said even though the talks have reached the advanced stage, it could take time.
“It has to be a permanent solution because today we arrive at a solution and after one year agitations start. It does not help anybody. What we were told by the leadership is that there is very sincere effort to arrive at an agreement as soon as possible,” he stated.
Present at the press conference were Temjen Imna Along, Minister of Higher and Technical Education, Y. Patton, Deputy Chief Minister & Home Minister, and S. Pangnyu Phom, Minister of Health and Family Welfare.
The BJP National General Secretary arrived Kohima to assess the damage inflicted by the natural disaster in the state and to take stock of the general situation of the Nagaland government.
‘Vajpayee’s ashes was first sent to Nagaland CM’s official residence’
A new development emerged on the controversy arising over the immersion of Late Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s ashes in Nagaland. The BJP National General Secretary claimed that the ashes was first sent to the Chief Minister’s official residence where religious rites were performed.
When questions were raised by local journalists at the press conference on why the ashes were not officially handed to the State Government as was the protocol in the past in any event of death of a Prime Minister in India, Madhav said the Chief Minister was informed about Late Vajpayee’s ashes and it was sent to his official residence where a prayer meeting was held in the presence of a pastor. Madhav went on to claim that there was one week delay in the whole process. The rites were not performed immediately because the “Nagaland Chief Minister was in Kerala taking care of the flood victims,” added Madhav.
However, there are no reports of the Nagaland Chief Minister visiting Kerala during the flood. It was Deputy Chief Minister Y Patton who visited Kerala to hand over Rs 1 crore on Nagaland Government’s behalf. He was accompanied by Minister, Kashiho Sangtam and Advisor, Longrineken Ao
