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Party says demand for a separate state will do immense harm for consolidation of unity among the Naga tribes
Our Reporter
Dimapur, Jan. 7 (EMN): The Janata Dal-United (JD-U) on Saturday said the root cause of failure to resolve the Naga political issue lies in the political instability of Nagaland, and its resolution was fundamental for lasting peace and prosperity of the Nagas.
The “cavalier attitude” of the incumbent interlocutor AK Mishra and his predecessor was significantly responsible for delaying the Naga peace process, claimed Rajya Sabha MP Aneel Prasad Hegde at a press conference at Hotel Saramati in Dimapur.
The JD(U) Northeast in-charge general secretary, Afaque Ahmad Khan, and Hegde, who are in the state for the past three days visiting few districts, observed that only two pressing demands -- various political groups demanding President’s Rule in the state and the eastern Nagaland’s demand for a separate state – have taken much space in Nagaland newspaper in the last few days.
On these two demands, the JD(U) leaders opined that the President’s Rule is not the solution, and election should be held as scheduled; while a solution to the Naga political issue should be arrived at before the election.
Meanwhile, Hegde asserted that the party will have a pre-poll understanding with like-minded people.
With due respect to all political parties and groups that are demanding President's Rule in Nagaland, he pointed out that the state has witnessed enough violence in the last eight decades and the need of the hour is a solution to the vexed problem.
He appealed to the political groups to desist from making any statements that will give ‘handle to the anti-democratic forces that want to prolong the unrest and take advantage of the vulnerability of the Nagas’.
‘The JD(U) which takes prides to be a democratic socialist party has always been concerned about the lack of development in the state and the country's north-eastern states. Similarly, our party is also concerned about the lack of development in Nagaland's Northeast region comprising the eastern districts and tribes,’ he said.
‘The JD believes and history is witness to the fact that starting from the struggle waged by A Z Phizo to this day, thousands of people have shed blood and sweat and made immense sacrifices, laying down their lives in the past eight decades to integrate all Naga-inhabited areas of the north-eastern states under one administrative unit,’ he added.
Hedge also appealed to the ‘conscience of the Nagas’ whether the demand of 'bifurcating' the state will bring peace to the souls of the martyrs who had laid down their lives for integrating all the Naga-inhabited areas.
The party has taken serious note of the demand by the Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation (ENPO) for carving out a separate state out of Nagaland, he said while maintaining that they have always stood for uniform development of all the regions in the country and removal of regional imbalances.
The party also appealed to the Union government to give enough funds to Nagaland so that sufficient funds can be allocated for developing its eastern districts.
“Our party believes that the demand for a separate state in Nagaland will do immense harm for consolidation of unity among the Naga tribes. Remembering the sacrifices done by thousands of Nagas who have laid down their lives for the cause of preserving the culture, identity, uplift of the entire Naga race in the last eight decades and in their honour, we humbly appeal to the ENPO not to resort to any actions that will weaken the Naga unity and to take back the demand for separate state,” Hedge conveyed.
JD(U) Nagaland general secretary, Kitoho S Rotokha, who is said to be contesting the upcoming assembly election from Ghaspani II, informed this was the third visit of the JD(U) national leaders to Nagaland since June 2022, to take stock of the situation in the event of holding the election.
He also maintained that the party has not met any political parties but was willing for an ‘understanding’ with like-minded people.
Afaque Ahmad Khan, while expressing that President’s Rule was not the solution, assured the party’s support for the people of eastern Nagaland and affirmed to fulfill their development demand if the party comes to power.
Replying to a query about the candidates to be fielded for the upcoming state assembly election, he said the party will contest in not less than 20 seats but were still working on the constituencies to contest from.