Sonia questions Naga accord, not consulting NE states CMs a concern

And the NSCN (IM) understanding and accepting that in the Federal set up in India, sovereignty is shared between the state and the central governments and that ultimate sovereignty rests with all the citizens of India. “How can an accord be signed without consulting the chief ministers that are directly affected even if the accord is being termed as historic?” she asked. It appears that what has been agreed upon is a hybrid mix of agreements on a number of Issues and a Framework to proceed further with negotiations to complete the final agreement within a specified time frame. To keep such an important document under wraps raises doubts about its veracity.

While also observing that people at large were becoming apprehensive and impatience, the Hoho appealed to each and every Naga “not to be swayed away by the rumours through social media but to be persistence in the best interest of the Naga people as a whole”. Reacting over this, MoS Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju said that none of the neighbouring states would be adversely impacted by the agreement.

Since the matter was not placed before Parliament, nor was it furnished to him, Okram pointed out the insincerity of the Centre.

“Where is the peace accord?”

The chief ministers who stayed away were Tarun Gogoi (Assam), Ibobi Singh (Manipur), Nabam Tuki (Arunachal Pradesh), Lal Thanhawla (Mizoram) and Mukul Sangma (Meghalaya).

While Naga leaders in Manipur said the peace accord would usher in progress, many civil bodies in the state expressed apprehension about whether the deal would affect Manipur’s territorial integrity. She said that not consulting NE CMs showed the arrogance of government. “Prime Minister Modi has misled the nation”, said Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala. “There is something fishy about the whole deal”.

“Then I called the chief ministers”. The northeast is concerned about the agreement.

“While we welcome the Centre’s efforts to bring peace if there anything regarding Arunachal Pradesh in this agreement we should have been consulted and should be informed now”.

While the NSCN(IM) is the biggest Naga rebel group which has been maintaining the ceasefire, another faction led by S.S. Khaplang continues to ind-ulge in violence and had carried out the deadly att-ack on the Army in Mani-pur in June that left 18 soldiers dead and 18 injured.