Nagaland CM to meet Shah on Naga issue

Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio along with legislators of the all party United Democratic Alliance will meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah next week to hold discussions to resolve the decades-old Naga political issue, a state minister said on Friday.

The decision to this effect was taken during the first meeting of the Core Committee of the Parliamentary Committee on Naga Issue of the state government on Friday following the April 29 merger of 21 out of the 25 Naga People’s Front (NPF) legislators to the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP). Rio, deputy chief minister Y Patton, chairman of UDA, T E Zeliang, its co-chairman Kuzholuzo Nienu and other legislators will leave for New Delhi either on May 16 or 17 for the meeting, state Minister for Planning & Coordination, Land Revenue and Parliamentary Affairs Neiba Kronu told PTI after the meeting.

The Parliamentary Committee on Naga Political Issue comprise all the 60 members of the Nagaland Assembly and the two MPs from the State.

The Core Committee has elected representatives from all the political parties in the state – NDPP, BJP, NPF and Independent.

The Centre has been holding separate talks with NSCN(IM) since 1997 and the Naga National Political Groups (NNPG) from 2017. It signed the framework agreement with NSCN(IM) on August 3, 2015 and an Agreed Position with NNPG on November 17, 2017.

However, no final solution has been achieved with NSCN(IM) remaining firm on its demand for a separate flag and constitution for the Nagas.