Govt: Naga pact only after NSCN-IM wanted ‘special status’ within India

NEW DELHI: Revealing for the first time the contours of the much-talked-about Naga Peace Accord, which was announced in August 2015, the government has informed the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs that it has signed “a framework agreement” with the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM), as the group agreed to further negotiate on “special status” within the Indian federation.

Mukesh Ranjan

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 22

Revealing for the first time the contours of the much-talked-about Naga Peace Accord, which was announced in August 2015, the government has informed the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs that it has signed “a framework agreement” with the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM), as the group agreed to further negotiate on “special status” within the Indian federation.

Interlocutor for Naga talks RN Ravi told the panel that the framework agreement was a departure from their earlier position of talks “with India” and “not within India” and therefore the Centre termed the agreement “a framework” and signed it.

These revelations form part of the third chapter of the 213th report of Standing Committee —Security Situation in the North Eastern States of India — which was tabled in Rajya Sabha last week.

The committee was also informed that the “contours” had not been spelt out in the framework agreement that was “just about the recognition of the uniqueness of the Naga history by the Government of India”, and some special arrangements will have to be made for the Nagas.

“On being asked what the special arrangement will be, the committee was told that with respect to Nagaland... Article 371A of the Constitution makes it clear that they are special and a special status has been accorded to them. A similar kind of status, with some local variation, and some change to the Nagas in the neighbouring States can be explored,” the report said. According to the report, Ravi also informed the committee that the Nagas had now reached a common understanding with the government that “boundaries of the states will not be touched” and “some special arrangements would be made for the Nagas, wherever they are”.

The NSCN-IM wants to extend Nagaland’s borders by including Naga-dominated areas in neighbouring Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh, to unite 1.2 million Nagas.

Demand for ‘Greater Nagaland’

The NSCN-IM wants to create ‘Greater Nagaland’ or ‘Nagalim’ by extending Nagaland’s borders to include Naga-dominated areas in neighbouring Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh to unite 1.2 million Nagas