Panel on Naga issue to meet today

No specific agenda, certain decisions may be taken: Nagaland Minister

The core committee of a panel set up by the Nagaland government to pursue the Naga political issue will meet for the first time in Dimapur, the State’s commercial hub, on July 9.

The meeting is scheduled to start at 11 a.m. and expected to be of three hours. The Chumukedima Police Complex is the venue.

The Nagaland government on June 10 formed a parliamentary committee on the Naga political issue comprising all 60 MLAs for an acceptable solution to the vexed peace process hanging fire for more than 23 years.

“There is no specific agenda for the meeting. Some decisions on the issue may be taken,” Nagaland’s Revenue Minister Neiba Kronu, the member-secretary of the parliamentary panel, said ahead of the meeting.

The issue pertains to the peace agreement between the Centre and the Naga extremist groups. These groups are the Isak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland and the Naga National Political Groups comprising at least six other armed outfits.

Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio is the convenor of the parliamentary committee . Deputy Chief Minister Y. Patton and former Chief Minister T.R. Zeliang are co-convenors.

Mr. Rio and Mr. Kronu represent the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) and Mr. Patton the Bharatiya Janata Party. The NDPP rules Nagaland in alliance with the BJP.

Mr. Zeliang represents the Opposition Naga People’s Front (NPF).

The core committee of the parliamentary panel has 15 MLAs as members. Five each are from the BJP and the NPF, four from the NDPP and one is an independent legislator.

The peace process began in mid-1997 when the NSCN (I-M) declared a ceasefire with New Delhi. The other groups followed since 2001, with the Khaplang faction reneging on the truce in March 2015.

Source: Read Full Article