KOHIMA, 30 Jun: The JD (U) on Thursday assured that it would take up the Naga political issue in Parliament and ask the Centre to find a solution to the vexed problem.
JD (U) president Rajiv Ranjan Singh, alias Lallan Singh, said that the BJP is part of the all-party government in the northeastern state and its commitment of ‘election for solution’ (to the Naga imbroglio) made before the state poll in 2018 has not been fulfilled, though the five-year term of the assembly is coming to an end.
“We see in Nagaland that commitments are not being fulfilled, because of which there is no permanent peace. People of the state are feeling betrayed. JD (U) wants a permanent and long-lasting solution to the issue. People want peace in Nagaland and so do we (JD-U),” said Singh, who is heading a party delegation to Nagaland to review the preparations for the year-long celebration on the occasion of the 120th birth anniversary of socialist leader Jayprakash Narayan.
The JD (U) president said that the party delegates have met at least four bodies in the state – the Naga Peoples Movement for Human Right, the Naga Hoho, the Eastern Nagaland Peoples Organisation and the Global Naga Forum – and discussed the Naga issue with them. They will, however, not meet the Naga national groups or members of the state government on the matter.
“We will analyse the situation and raise it in Parliament. We will ask the government of India to come to a conclusion,” he assured.
The JD (U), which is part of the BJP-led NDA, has a single MLA in the Nagaland assembly.
Singh said that the role of the state government is very vital in the matter, but it is only acting as a messenger to collect information and to pass it to the two sides involved in the Naga peace talks with the Centre.
“The government in Nagaland needs to be more sincere and visionary in its approach and not to use the Naga issue for selfish and pitiful gains,” he said.
“The state government has to act for permanent peace in Nagaland. The JD (U) team is here only to assess the political situation and raise it in Parliament, so that final, permanent and long-lasting peace is restored in the state,” he said.
Singh said that it is a matter of pride to the JD (U) that Jayprakash Narayan had played an important role in the 1964 Nagaland Peace Mission and had travelled to every nook and corner of the northeastern state to understand the aspirations of the local people.
Nonetheless, the final solution to the long-pending Naga political issue is yet to be attained.
Asked about the JD (U)’s views on the demand for a separate flag and constitution for the Nagas, he said, “Every stakeholder and group should be consulted before the final agreement.” (PTI)