“How can somebody in a high position have the temerity of playing drama and tamasha on such sentimental issues that are inseparable for Naga political solution?” asked the outfit.
TFM Desk
National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah), NSCN ((I-M), has come down heavily on Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s double standard on Naga national flag, and assured that the Naga people need not be “perturbed by the unilateral statement” of Amit Shah when no bilateral decision has come about yet.
A release by the Ministry of Information and Publicity of NSCN (I-M) on Tuesday stated that Nagas were “blazing with indignation” when Amit Shah in his meeting with Nagaland chief minister in New Delhi stated that he is willing to hoist the Naga flag on Naga Day if invited for the occasion. But at the same time, he said that he is against granting a separate Naga flag and constitution to the Nagas. This is nothing less than a “terrible sense of humorous insult” to the Naga people, the Naga outfit asserted.
“How can somebody in a high position have the temerity of playing drama and tamasha on such sentimental issues that are inseparable for Naga political solution?”
The outfit also said that it would be a pleasure for the Nagas to welcome anyone to hoist and fly the Naga flag in Naga soil but not in the manner to “belittle” the Naga political issue.
NSCN (I-M) also contended that crucial outcome of the Indo-Naga political talks are to be made with the consent of the two parties with the full knowledge and blessing of the Prime Minister and not necessarily by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India (GoI) which is not the authorised platform to make any official statement on Naga political solution at this critical stage.
“Significantly, somebody other than the Prime Minister of India making critical statements on crucially important issue like the Naga national flag is like wrecking the Indo-Naga ceasefire agreement at the wrong time because agreement on this particular issue is deeply linked to signing the agreement for Naga political solution.”
The elusive Naga political issue cannot be undermined by giving the Union Home Minister a “freewheeling power” to make a meaningless statement bereft of political drive towards Naga political solution, the outfit asserted.
The release also maintained that it is highly a preposterous idea for the GoI to disallow Naga flag to be used in government offices and establishments but only to be used as a merry-making item in cultural functions.
“Nothing would come more outrageous than this absurdity. And Nagas are never going to tolerate this kind of irresponsible and hollow utterance emanating from Amit Shah.”
The release also stated that NSCN (I-M) has put on record that Nagas are not asking permission from GoI to fly our Naga national flag but we are simply reiterating our stand that GoI should not obstruct the usage of our flag which is our honour and political identity.
The release further stated that NSCN (I-M) when approached by the GoI to start the Indo-Naga peace process did set the terms very loud and clear that GoI must agree to recognise the Naga issue as political and stopped terming it as India’s “Internal Law and Order Issue”.
The Indo-Naga Ceasefire was thus officially declared on August 1, 1997 and NSCN (I-M) claimed that it was agreed that the political dialogue shall be at the highest level, i.e. Prime Minister level; Without precondition and outside in a third country.
Notably, the Framework Agreement of August 3, 2015 entered the crucial agreement of the need to coexist peacefully between the two entities with shared sovereignty between India and Nagas. It cannot also sideline the historical fact that the Naga flag was flown since 1947, even before India got independence from the British rule.
NSCN (I-M) also claimed that going by the history of Naga political movement beginning from the British Rule of India, the Naga flag is unconquered or surrendered to any force. The Naga people will, therefore, never put themselves in a disgraceful position by selling the Naga flag for the sake of hastening Naga solution.
“God forbid such a breach of trust-covenant made between God and Naga people.”