EMN
DIMAPUR, JULY 16
Members of the Parliamentary Working Committee of Nagaland Legislators Forum on Naga Political Issue, led by Chief Minister TR Zeliang and Speaker Chotisuh Sazo, on Thursday met Prime Minister Modi at his residential office, Race Course Road, New Delhi and submitted a 6-point memorandum.
The memorandum – which was made available to the local newspapers – among others, expressed “high hopes and confidence on the dynamic leadership” of Modi to amicably resolve the long pending Naga political issue, which it said, would be a “befitting tribute to the statesmanship” of the incumbent Prime Minister.
The PWC memorandum contained the suggestion that “the main problem seems to be that the Government of India have never made an offer, in the form of a formula for solution of the Naga political problem, that can form the basis for discussions and consultations amongst the Naga nationalist groups, as well as amongst various sections of the Naga society.”
According to a press statement from the Chief Minister’s Office, Modi during his interaction with the delegation said that any solution will succeed only if it is acceptable to the people at large. “He stressed that every Naga is integral to the solution.”
The statement quoted the Prime Minister as saying that “no solution could meet cent percent expectations at one go” while seeking support from the Legislators “to make a beginning and then improve on it further.”
The delegation also “urged that the declaration of the whole of Nagaland State as disturbed area under the AFSP Act should be lifted,” according to the CMO statement. The meeting was also attended by the National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval.
Also, the delegation, prior to the meeting with Modi, met the interlocutor for Naga Peace Talks, RN Ravi.
“The Interlocutor welcomed the visiting delegation and expressed gratitude to the delegation for having constituted such a Working Committee.
“He stated that the talks were a cooperative exercise aimed at finding a win-win solution to the issue and informed that considerable progress has been made in the talks and a comprehensive solution would be worked out with the involvement and support of all concerned stakeholders,” it stated.
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