Expressing concern over the recent statement on NSCN (IM)’s demand for ‘sovereignty,’ Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Tuesday said that the outfit’s demand for sovereignty is leading to further confusion about the framework agreement signed between the Government of India and the NSCN (IM).
Gogoi said this while addressing the newsmen in Guwahati on Tuesday and said that this is the reason he has been expressing his apprehension about the agreement since the beginning and that he was for making it public.
“We want to know whether the frame work agreement includes ‘Nagalim’ and to which direction it is moving,” Gogoi asked.
On August 14, NSCN (IM) general secretary Th Muivah had said that the outfit had not given up its demand for sovereignty and integration of all Naga inhibited areas while pursuing the peace talks with the Central Government.
This has created confusion among the neighbouring States of Nagaland, particularly to Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh - where there are large Naga inhibited areas and the NSCN (IM) has been demanding integration of all those areas to create the Greater Nagalim.
“Forget about the territory, we are not even allowing the Centre to extend the ceasefire with the NSCN (IM) to Assam areas. The previous NDA Government at the Centre had proposed to extend the NSCN (IM) ceasefire to Assam and other neighbouring States. However, we opposed it because we knew that they would claim the territory if we agree to extension of the ceasefire to Assam,” Gogoi said.
“The Centre had also not taken us into confidence while pursuing the framework agreement with the NSCN (IM). The BJP has seven MPs in Assam and a Union Minister. However, the Central Government did not even bother to talk to them on the issue of Naga peace deal,” Gogoi said.