Naga Hoho has no legitimacy, says WC-NNPG

DIMAPUR — War of words between the Working Committee, Naga National Political Groups (WC-NNPG) and the Naga Hoho continues with the former claiming through a rejoinder that the founders of the hoho had great vision for the Naga people but it has become irrelevant.

“Originally, the desire was for all Naga tribes, within and beyond present Nagaland, to have an all inclusive, boundaryless Naga body to maintain Naga political, historical and cultural unity, maintaining one identity. Sadly, few people are using the Naga Hoho for their own benefit,” read the rejoinder.

The WC-NNPG claimed that the “present Naga Hoho” doesn’t have the legitimacy as “it became an extension of a particular faction” and lost all credibility following the exit of ENPO, NTC and CNTC.

“NH was, in its early years, like an imposing beast which roared and defended all creatures in the land. It is long dead and only the carcass remain!” it said, adding that it serves no purpose with the withdrawal of all 17 Nagaland tribes from it.

Pointing out that both the Framework Agreement and Agreed Position were signed with GoI interlocutor R.N Ravi, it said the “worshiping” of one and questioning the legitimacy of the other by the Naga Hoho tells that it has “sold its soul”.

Asserting that “Naga people have never really been assured of a more politically compact and powerful document with GoI since India's Independence like the Agreed Position”, the WC-NNPG asked the Naga Hoho ‘why and how the agreement is not a legitimate political document’.

It went on to ask the hoho to explain the “competencies” and “intricacies of the Indian system” as mentioned in the FA signed by the GoI and the NSCN (IM), to the Naga people.

Pointing out that two years, the time taken to sign Agreed Position after FA, is enough to set any agreement into motion, the WC-NNPG said it is useless to blame anybody. 

“GoI understood the mistake of going live on TV without the knowledge of the genuine stakeholders,” it said, adding that PM Narendra Modi deputed the same Interlocutor to negotiate with a Naga entity that has connection with the apex Naga civil societies on the ground.

It went on to claim that it had consulted all naga tribes, apex civil societies, intellectuals and legislators to formulate a just and honourable political solution, as well as taken neighbouring communities into confidence.