NEW DELHI, Feb 2 ? The war of words between Nagaland Chief Minister S C Jamir and the NSCN (I-M) hotted up yesterday with the latter taking exception to the former?s reported statement that its leaders Isak and Muivah came to Delhi as ?good Indian citizens with valid Indian passport.?
?While the visit of the collective leadership to India has been proved meaningful in enhancing mutual trust and confidence that is most essential for resolving of the Indo-Naga conflict, such kind of statement is totally irrelevant and nonsense,? a statement from the insurgent group said.
The collective leadership came to Delhi at the invitation of the Indian Prime Minister as a leader of the Naga nation but not as an Indian. Using Indian passport does not mean they became Indian citizens, the statement said.
They even claimed that the leaders had written ?not applicable? in the ?nationality? column of their passport application forms and that their travelling on Indian document does not mean accepting Indian citizenship.
?Jamir should know the history and technical problems during crucial period of peace process. For instance, when the Father of Indian nation late Mahatma Gandhi went to London to attend the Round Table Conference, he used British document because at that time India was under British occupation. It does not mean Gandhi was a good British citizen,? it said.