New Delhi, May 26: The National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) today congratulated the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance on its ascent to power in Delhi. He said the Naga community was banking on the new government to take the peace process initiated seven years ago to its logical conclusion. “We warmly congratulate the new Congress-led government. We do hope they are for peace and a honourable solution (to the Naga problem),” NSCN (I-M) general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah said in a statement.
The militant organisation’s attitude towards the erstwhile S.C. Jamir-led government in Nagaland had raised doubts about the progress of the peace talks after the Congress wrested power from the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance at the Centre.
Jamir, who remains the Nagaland PCC chief, was repeatedly accused of patronising the NSCN (Khaplang) and trying to derail the Centre’s talks with the Isak-Muivah group when he was at the helm.
It was payback time during the recent Lok Sabha poll, when the Congress complained to the Election Commission about the Neiphiu Rio government allegedly rigging the election with the NSCN (I-M)’s help. Similar allegations were raised when the Congress government was toppled in July last year.
Muivah calmed fears over a possible change in the NSCN (I-M)’s stand now that the Congress is in charge at the Centre. “Change of hands in Indian party politics does not in any sense affect the commitment of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim as the issue is between the government of India and the Naga people.”
The NSCN (I-M) was the first militant organisation to respond to former Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao’s offer to start a dialogue for peace. The ceasefire, signed in 1997, has since continued in spite of occasional hiccups. The Nagaland unit of the Congress has resolved to ask the Centre to decide on a political framework to expedite the peace process. The resolution was adopted during a meeting of senior party leaders in Kohima today.