Imphal: The United Naga Council (UNC), an apex Naga body, has rejected the representation submitted by eight Naga MLAs to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 9.
In a statement, the UNC said the eight Naga legislators submitting a representation to the Prime Minister of India along with 32 others was an “untimely move” given that it was the day of the Naga Peoples Rally organised in the Naga hill districts of Manipur, negating the collective sentiments of the Naga populace.
Massive mass rallies were organised across Naga-inhabited districts of Chandel, Senapati, Tamenglong and Ukhrul under the aegis of the United Naga Council, urging the Government of India to resolve the long-drawn Indo-Naga political conflict in the true spirit of August 3, 2015, Framework Agreement between the Government of India and the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN).
Whilst the Nagas are all out reiterating for an inclusive, acceptable and honourable solution to the Indo-Naga political issue, submitting a representation with some contradictory demands to the Prime Minister of India is highly uncalled for, said the UNC.
It further stated that the UNC as the apex body representing 20 Naga tribes of Manipur feels necessitated to place on record that the Naga legislators who have appended their signatures do not carry the collective aspirations and sentiments of the Nagas. Hence disowned their representation, it added.
Meanwhile, the Working Group for Naga Rights in Manipur has expressed their pain after coming across the signatures of eight Naga MLAs in the recently floated supposed ‘representation’, submitted by forty MLAs of Manipur Legislative Assembly to the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi.
“The Working Group at the outset outrightly reject such representation and abrasive act of putting across things in a most one-sided way as it is in direct conflict with the political aspiration and solution for the Nagas. It is regretful and deplorable that some Naga MLAs, elected to represent the solemn voice and aspiration of the community have chosen to bow down to the dictates of certain vested interested groups, whose sole purpose has been to maintain the status quo in every expect, in the state of Manipur,” the statement said.
It further stated that the Working Group is aware that while the aspirations of some groups in the state may at times seem unpalatable to others, it must be remembered by all communities of Manipur that differences in aspiration are only expressions of people’s democratic rights.
“Every community of the state deserves to have a dignified sense of identity and aspiration,” it stated.
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The Working Group is aware that sustaining the integrity of the state requires inclusive development, political, social, psychological, and emotional oneness and more importantly equality and dignity-assured sense of belonging in the state of Manipur, it added.
In the representation submitted to PM Modi, the 40 legislators have six charter points of demands, including withdrawal of the Suspension of Operations (SoO) Agreement with the Kuki militant groups and strengthening of the Autonomous District Council (ADCs).
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