March 19: Despite the NSCN (I-M)’s oft-expressed reservations about talking to a bureaucrat, former Union home secretary K. Padmanabhaiah will once again lead the Delhi team in the next round of peace talks, slated for the first week of next month.
Home ministry officials indicated that two rounds of talks would be held with NSCN (I-M) leaders Isak Chisi Swu and Th. Muivah. While one round of discussions will be held in Amsterdam, the other will probably take place in another European capital.
The officials said the NSCN (I-M) leadership had “accepted” Padmanabhaiah as the chief interlocutor because they were eager to take the peace process forward.
The former bureaucrat, who took over from Swaraj Kaushal as the Centre’s chief interlocutor in the peace talks, has made a habit of rubbing the outfit the wrong way at crucial junctures.
What antagonised the NSCN (I-M) leadership the most was Padmanabhaiah’s comments in the RSS mouthpiece, Organiser, that the government was in the process of disarming the outfit’s cadre. The interview was published just after the “historic” dialogue in Delhi.
So incensed was the Naga leaders that they reportedly refused to talk to Padmanabhaiah and complained to the Centre about his remarks in the Organiser.
Reacting to the interview, new Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio said, “It is very unfortunate that such statements should emanate from a person who is playing an important role in the dialogue. The peace process needs very careful handling as every move has significant implications. One wrong step might create new hurdles.”
The significant gain from the talks in Delhi was the commitment by the NSCN (I-M) leadership to continue the dialogue. However, the Centre wanted to wait till the completion of the Assembly elections in Nagaland to begin discussions on substantive issues.
The NSCN (I-M) viewed the erstwhile S.C. Jamir government as an impediment to the process of resolving the Naga issue.
The new chief minister claimed that his government’s policy was vastly different from that of the Congress. “Unlike Jamir, who had asked for direct participation in the talks, we will ensure our participation through initiatives to bring about unity. We have already asked civil society groups to begin the task,” he added.