Nagaland election: Kharge claims BJP ‘cheated’ people on Naga political issue

Accusing the BJP-led central government of cheating the people of Nagaland on the Naga political problem, the Congress on Tuesday asserted that given a chance, it will fulfil the aspirations of the citizens of the northeastern state.

Solving the decades-old Naga issue is one of the top-most commitments in the Congress’ manifesto, party president Mallikarjun Kharge said at an election rally in Dimapur

“The Narendra Modi government does not have the political will to put into effect the agreed solutions to the Naga political issue and has cheated the people of Nagaland and the country as well,” he said.

Stating that civil society organisations have been demanding the implementation of political solutions, Kharge claimed that the state government is indulging in delaying tactics on the pretext that more talks are needed.

“Prime Minister Modi announced on August 3, 2015, that the Naga issue has been resolved with the signing of the Naga Accord which was later renamed as Framework Agreement with the NSCN-IM. But nearly eight years down the line, this has become an empty boast,” he said.

To find a solution to the decades-old problem, the Centre has been holding separate negotiations with NSCN-IM since 1997 and the Working Committee of Naga National Political Group (NNPG), comprising at least seven groups, since 2017.

The Modi government inked a Framework Agreement with NSCN-IM in 2015 and Agreed Position with NNPGs in 2017. However, the final solution is yet to be attained with NSCN-IM remaining adamant on its demand for a separate flag and constitution for the Nagas.

While releasing the BJP manifesto for the Nagaland election on February 14, party president J P Nadda asserted that the solution to the Naga political issue is in the final stage as the Narendra Modi government is tirelessly working on it. However, the manifesto has no mention of it.

Claiming that the Congress is the only party that had initiated the process to find a solution to the Naga political issue, Kharge said, “Even now, this is one of the top-most commitments in our election manifesto”.

Without naming the Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO), which has been demanding a separate state comprising six districts of the state, the veteran Congress leader claimed that the BJP is bent on creating a division in Nagaland.

Abrogating Article 371A of the Constitution which gives special provision to Nagaland will pave the way for “easy implementation of the Uniform Civil Code, which is the mainstay of the divisive agenda of the BJP”, he alleged.

“The BJP’s politics is aimed at destroying the indigenous and unique culture of Nagas,” he alleged.

If voted to power, the Congress will implement measures for the development of the Eastern Nagaland region, Kharge said.

The region will get its own mini secretariat and directorate of school education, the Department of Under Developed Areas will be relocated to Tuensang while dialogue between the governments of India and Myanmar will be initiated, he said.

A section of the citizens of Myanmar are Nagas.

“Given an opportunity, the Congress will fulfil the aspirations of the people of the state,” he said at the rally.

The assembly election will be held on February 27 and votes will be counted on March 2.