NSCN pulls up CM Neiphiu Rio over remarks

Guwahati: The political wing of NSCN (I-M) on Sunday came down heavily on Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio who recently after a meeting with Union home minister Rajnath Singh had ruled out the possibility of integration of Naga inhabited areas outside the Nagaland.

The Government of the People’s Republic of Nagaland (GPRN) in a statement on Sunday said, “The issue of integration of all the Naga territories is an integral part of the ongoing Indo-Naga political dialogue. Naga territories, which have been kept apart arbitrarily and indiscriminately by the British in the first place and then further divided between Burma (now Myanmar) and India under Nehru without the knowledge and consent of the Naga people is totally unacceptable. Just as there cannot be a kingdom without territory, so the Indo-Naga political talks sans integration of all the contiguous Naga areas will be a futile exercise.”

The GPRN, however, defined the framework agreement as a historic step. “In recognition of the Nagas’ history and situation as unique by the Government of India, the historic Framework Agreement of August 3, 2015 was signed between the Government of India and the NSCN (I-M).

The political wing of the NSCN (I-M) in its statement claimed that both the parties agreed and recognised that integration of all the contiguous Naga areas is the legitimate right of the Naga people and it was mutually agreed that it would be pursued through earnest political democratic process.