Nirendra Dev
NEW DELHI, JULY 26: Veteran Naga politician and Padma Bhushan awardee, SC Jamir, on Sunday cautioned the Government of India against the ‘delay’ in finalizing the Naga peace talks and emphasized that the common people are anxiously awaiting the final announcement of a solution.
“….The more they delay, the credibility and the sanctity of the agreements inked so far, the Framework Agreement of August 2005 and Agreed Position or Preamble of 2017, will go”, Jamir told this journalist over phone from Dimapur.
Answering questions, he said the Government of India has already made it “amply clear” that the Flag and a separate Constitution cannot be accepted.
“Naturally, realizing and recognizing the political realities, they have not included Sovereignty or Integration in the agreements. This is very clear. If this is the case, why delay?” asked Jamir, who has also served as
Governor of Gujarat when Prime Minister Narendra Modi was Chief Minister of the western State.
“I think the Government of India should be bold to declare that the problem should be resolved. They should call the two parties (NSCN-IM and NNPGs) to announce the solution. Because how long can we make the people to suffer”, he said.
The Framework Agreement was signed between the NSCN (IM) and peace Interlocutor RN Ravi on August 3, 2005 in Delhi while the Agreed Position or Preamble of 2017 was inked with the NNPGs, led by N Kitovi Zhimomi.
To a question, Jamir appreciated the role of the Interlocutor and incumbent Governor Ravi.
“It is the political wisdom of all parties, so we should honour it”, he underlined, adding “now that everything is completed, why delay”.
A Congress veteran, Jamir during his stint as Gujarat Governor enjoyed good personal and working relation with Modi and was awarded India’s third highest civilian award Padma Bhushan in 2020 by the BJP-led NDA Government.
Eighty nine-year-old Jamir, also a former Union Minister, is the last surviving signatory of the first Naga peace accord signed in 1960 that resulted in creation of the ‘separate State’ of Nagaland.
Nagaland was declared a State only in 1963 and ever since has been consumed by the violence between security forces and militant groups.
