Excerpt from the Presidential Speech during Tatar Hoho Budget Session (On March 18, 2016 at Hebron)

Honorable Members,

Let us praise the Lord for granting us this vital occasion. This is our moment to scrutinise our government’s functioning- the cornerstone of financial accountability, policy oversight, and sustainable governance. Your enthusiastic presence reflects your resilient spirit and unwavering commitment, standing firm amid obstacles while holding fast to the political and policy framework that has guided us for years. Let us use this occasion to know each other better as we face the disturbing situation in Southern Nagalim and evaluating the sustainability of our budget proposal in this context.

Honorable Members,

Let us remember the year 1997 when the historic ceasefire was signed between the government of India and National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN). It was inked with high hopes for meaningful political dialogue to resolve the long drawn-out Indo-Naga issue peacefully. Accordingly, ceasefire ground rules were mutually agreed upon setting the guidelines designed to halt hostilities, maintain order, and create a stable environment for peaceful negotiations. It establishes specific protocols for both the Indian Security Forces and Naga Army to prevent violence, protect civilians, and build mutual trust. As part of these protocols, wearing face mask by both the parties is not allowed under any circumstances. But it is discouraging to notice procedural impropriety when the Indian Security Forces refuse to follow established procedures or mandatory rules blatantly breaking the ceasefire ground rules. The case in point is the Litan Sareikhong burning incident on 8th February, 2026, when the surrogate forces of Kuki militants in complicity with the Indian Security Forces set fire to the civilian houses of the Tangkhuls. Eye witness account testifies that Indian Security Forces wearing face masks were seen torching the Tangkhul houses. The video-recording of the masked Indian Security Forces went viral in the social media platforms as you may also have seen. Significantly, having been caught red-handed, there was no rebuttal from the Indian Security Forces. Even the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, maintain deceptive silence.

Taking advantage of the Kukis who have gained notoriety as pathological liar, the security forces instigated their surrogate forces to put the blame on the Tangkhuls and the NSCN who torched the Kuki houses. This is how the Indian agencies tutored the Kukis to play victim card. This is the disturbing pattern that has emerged to put NSCN on the wrong side. Not surprisingly, the Indian Security Forces and the Kuki militants are working “hand in clove” against the Nagas. After years of manipulation, indulging in proxy war against the NSCN, the Indian Security Forces has been caught in a “web of deceit” or “web of lies” like the Kukis. God knows where the truth lies but to propagate the truth before the world is the bounden duty of the Nagas in general and the NSCN in particular. We have to do everything at our disposal to set ourselves free from the bondage of deceitful forces at work. Certainly, this is a state-sponsored conflict and far from being organic as Indian security agencies are behind who funded, supported and engineered. Significantly, it is the Indian security agencies who orchestrated everything that embolden the Kukis to go against the Nagas.