Kohima, September 3 : That the Naga peace process had been stated to have “entered a crucial stage,” and the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN) sticking to its demand for Naga integration, the Congress today said that the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) ‘should be squarely blamed for any fallout.’
Member of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) K V Pusa said on Saturday that ‘in the event of fallout of Naga peace process, the BJP-led NDA will be held responsible for not being sincere in resolving the protracted political issue.’
The AICC member inaugurated the ‘Twenty-XI FC open football tournament’ at the government higher secondary school ground in Viswema, in Kohima district.
A press release from the leader’s office offering updates on Saturday said that Pusa accused the centre of ‘delivering only lip service to the Naga peace process and that there can be a fallout if a honourable solution was not hammered out at the earliest as demanded by the people.’
Pusa, also a former president of the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee, said that the Congress was committed to resolving the issue and had, therefore, initiated the peace process with the NSCN (IM).
‘But he regretted that the BJP-led NDA government was only delivering lip service and was trying to undermine the Naga political issue. He said successive Congress prime ministers had met the NSCN (IM) leaders demonstrating their sincerity to resolve the issue,’ the note stated. Even a ‘ministerial team on the Naga issue’ was also constituted by the Congress government, he said. Further, the Congress leader said that the NDA government, which had ‘promised an early solution’ after signing the “framework agreement” on August 3 the previous year, had “vanished in thin air.” ‘High rhetoric on the framework agreement has not yielded results,’ Pusa said.
On the issue of Naga integration, Pusa asked the centre to start talks with the chief ministers of ‘neighbouring states.’ Only through dialogue can issues be resolved, he said
‘But the Centre has not initiated such dialogue with the neighbouring states and only delivering a lip service. The Centre is not committed to resolving the issue,’ the Congress leader said. Integration has been the demand of the people and that efforts should be made to discuss the issue with the neighbouring states, he said.
Pusa also criticised the centre for imposing the Disturbed Area Act (DAA) under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act in the state of Nagaland “when there is a peace process underway to solve the political problem.” He said such an action was nothing but showing ‘insincerity’ and ‘non-commitment’ to the peace process.
Through ‘draconian measures,’ the Congress leader explained, the Naga political issue cannot be resolved. He has demanded immediate repeal of the Act. All citizens of the country should be treated equally, he said.
The AICC member was of the opinion that unity of the country would be realized only when citizens were treated equally. ‘All draconian laws should be revoked from the country,’ he said.
Pusa has called upon all sections of the people to “remain united” to give impetus to the peace process. ‘Disunity in the state will prolong the issue,’ he said.
