In a move to integrate all the Naga inhabited areas in the region, the Nagaland’s regional political party, Naga Peoples’ Front (NPF) is now planning to expand to all the tribal areas of the region.
Nagaland Chief Minister Dr Shürhozelie liezietsu said this on Wednesday while addressing over 200 party members of Arunachal Pradesh unit on Wednesday and added that the NPF party should be introduced not only to all the Naga inhabited areas but to all tribal areas in the region and added that this will be the first step towards integrating the tribal peoples of the region.
He said that the demand for integration of the whole Naga inhabited areas may be difficult at present but that coming together under the umbrella of the NPF could be the first step to integrate the people emotionally and politically.
“After the NPF became a part of the Government in Manipur, the Naga people living in the Manipur are now feel a sense of belongingness as one Naga family,” he said while adding that the NPF must take part in the next Government in Arunachal Pradesh.
“The Naga people of Arunachal Pradesh must send their representative to the legislative Assembly,” he said adding that the NPF will be recognised as a national party only after it succeeds to gain entre in legislative Assemblies of three States. It may be mentioned here that while the NPF is leading the Democratic Alliance of Nagaland alliance Government in Nagaland, the party could manage to secure four seats in the recent Manipur elections, who were also accommodated in the Cabinet.
The NFP’s move came at a time when different organizations in Manipur, Assam, and Arunachal Pradesh are apprehensive about the framework agreement signed between the government of India and NSCN (IM), who also wants to integrate all the Naga inhabited areas of the region to achieve greater demand of ‘Nagalim’. The organizations in the two neighbouring states however, oppose the idea of Nagalim as it would affect their territorial integrity.