'IM' rejects Indian Constitution
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Newmai News Network
Dimapur, April 30 2011:
The NSCN-IM said today that it will not accept the "Indian constitution under any circumstances" .
The NSCN-IM was strongly reacting to the statement of Union Minister of State for Planning Ashwani Kumar who had stated that the solution to the Naga political issue has got to be found within the framework of the Indian Constitution.
The NSCN-IM today termed Ashwani Kumar's comment as "an irresponsible statement" .
Two days ago, Union Minister of State for Planning, Ashwani Kumar, who was in Nagaland to campaign for SC Jamir for the Aonglenden constituency by-poll had said at a press conference that "the Government of India is prepared for wide ranging talks with the Naga people on finding an honourable and mutually acceptable solution (to the Naga issue) within the framework of the Indian constitution" .
Replying to a query raised by the media that Naga groups have been seeking a solution to the Naga issue outside the Indian Constitution, Kumar reasserted that the Government of India has been very clear from the start about its stand on the matter.
"No elected government which has vowed to uphold the Constitution and has pledged to protect the integrity and sovereignty of the nation will go against the Constitution.
Therefore, the Naga problem has to be solved within the Constitution only" .
The NSCN-IM said Ashwani Kumar has shifted political gears.
The visiting Union minister maintained that the Constitution of India has enough scope to accommodate all shades of demands and aspirations of the Naga people and that the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government at the Centre is given to honour them at all cost.
Reacting to the Union Minister's comment, the NSCN-IM in a statement issued to Newmai News Network tonight said, there is no agreement that the Indo-Naga political issue will be solved "within the framework of Indian Constitution" .
The Naga outfit said from the historical point of view the "imposition" of the Indian Consitution "upon the Nagas" was the beginning of the Indo-Naga conflict and for the Nagas this basis can never be a solution.
It said realising the futility of seeking a solution to the Indo-Naga political conflict through brute force, the Government of India had proposed a political dialogue that was later accepted by the NSCN as the more realistic approach.
"Thereafter, peaceful political dialogue was initiated on the basis of three mutually agreed terms: at the highest level, without any conditions and in a third country," the NSCN-IM added.
Subsequently, the government of India accepted that the negotiation was between two entities and on July, 11, 2002 recognised the unique history and situation of the Nagas, the statement of the Naga outfit further said.
"Prime Ministers of India agreed that the Indo-Naga issue must be solved through political negotiations and Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh had also officially assured that the GoI will seek a solution outside the box," it claimed.
The NSCN-IM then said it seriously views such irresponsible statements when both entities are seriously trying to find an honourable and peaceful political solution.
"Therefore, the statement made by Ashwani is a blatant breach of trust.
It must, therefore, be clarified if his statement reflects the opinions of the Government of India," the NSCN-IM demanded.
The Naga outfit then alleged that Ashwani Kumar also violated the official understanding and commitment between the Government of India and the NSCN that all official statements on the Indo-Naga political talks will be made only from the Prime Minister's Office, the Home Minister and India's Interlocutor for the Indo-Naga peace talks, RS Pandey.
"The NSCN have done their best they could in the past and are prepared to continue in the same spirit until an honourable political settlement is arrived at.
But today we are forced to make the point clear that we will not accept the Indian constitution under any circumstances," the NSCN-IM pledged.
Comment
