Bhupen Goswami 

Guwahati: Nagaland’s insurgent groups NSCN-IM have accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government of not being serious about going ahead with the Framework Agreement. As a result, naga peace talks have become absurd. The Naga insurgent group is currently in a ceasefire agreement with the Centre.

“There is no seriousness in the Central Modi government-NSCN(IM) talks and there is a difference in words and deeds,” the group’s chairman Q Tukku said at its headquarters in Hebron today. He said that this has led the organization to fear that the central government can secretly eliminate it with its entire system. The peace talks are being handled by the Centre. Despite this, the NSCN-IM has carried forward the dialogue with full commitment and determination. Q Tukku said no sacrifice is too big when it comes to protecting the historical and political rights of the Naga people. He said that it is up to the central government to work together. The Naga rebels thought that talks would start as soon as the government was formed in Nagaland and a solution would be found, but even after about twenty days of forming the government, there was no initiative from the Center. He also said that the NSCN-IM is confused about finding a solution on the Modi government’s framework agreement. He also said that after months of waiting and behind-the-scenes communication, the meeting on Naga peace talks was held on April 13.

The meeting was chaired by government representative A K Mishra who mediated the discussions between the government and the NSCN-IM. He said the NSCN-IM has not agreed to find a solution based on the framework agreement. The NSCN-IM has expressed confusion over the outcome of the meeting. The Secretary General of NSCN-IM along with other members of the NSCM-IM leadership including RH Rising and Verse Atem participated in the discussion. AK Mishra had also planned a meeting with leaders of Naga National Political Groups, but it did not happen. The date and time of the meeting with the NNPG and the Government of India is yet to be decided.