KOHIMA, Feb. 24 – The Naga National Council, while ‘unreservedly’ condemning the forthcoming State Assembly elections called by the Government of India reasserted “in the strongest possible terms its rejection of any such elections in the absence of a settlement of the Naga political problem of invasion”.
The NNC in a release on Sunday issued by its acting president Gen. (retd) I. Panger Walling reminded the Government of India and the Naga people that “the imposition of the Indian state elections in the Naga country completely contravenes and countermands the Naga plebiscite of 1951”. Reiterating that the 1951 Plebiscite is the final verdict of the Naga nation, the NNC warned each and every Naga not to participate in the State election.
Warning especially the Naga national workers “not to become involved” in any way in the Indian-imposed State election to the Naga country, the NNC said, “This is total anathema of the Naga people and against the 1951 plebiscite of 99.9 per cent vote in favour of Naga independence practically shown to the GOI in particular and the world in general”.
Stating that many lives have been sacrificed for the cause of Naga nation, the NNC called upon the Naga national workers to “remember their oath of allegiance and reverse and respect the martyrs and their commitment to the nation”.The NNC ‘seriously’ warned the Naga national workers saying that they should on no account become involved in the current elections and that they should “beware lest the blood of the martyrs be upon them”.
Reminding the GOI and the people of Nagaland, rejection of the first Indian general election in Nagaland in 1952 and the second general election in 1957 by the Nagas, the NNC stated that “since then the Government of India has conducted further elections in the Naga country by force with her armed forces which is a crime and which makes a mockery of their largest and much-vaunted democracy in the world.”
The council also appealed to the GOI to stop imposition of State election in Nagaland and settle the political problem of invasion, a course of action which will lead to permanent peace in the region.