Next 5 Years Crucial For Achieving Naga Solution, Says Himanta Sarma

Claiming that a lot of ground has been covered in the Naga peace talks, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday said the next five years will be very important towards achieving a solution.

Engaged by the Centre, Sarma, also the convenor of NEDA which is the Northeast version of the NDA, has held discussions with Naga groups in the presence of Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio.

“Considerable time and energy has been spent for bringing a solution for the Naga Political problem and we have covered a lot of ground while the next five years will be very important towards achieving that objective,” Sarma said while addressing an election rally here.

“We want to have a solution which will respect the uniqueness of Nagas and their history and also recognize a strong friendship between the Nagas and people living in the rest of India,” the BJP leader said.

Sarma asserted that BJP-NDPP will work further towards achieving permanent peace in the coming five years.

To find a solution to the decades-old problem, the Centre has been holding separate negotiations with NSCN-IM since 1997 and the Working Committee of Naga National Political Group (NNPG), comprising at least seven groups, since 2017.

The Narendra Modi government inked a Framework Agreement with NSCN-IM in 2015 and Agreed Position with NNPGs in 2017. However, the final solution is yet to be attained with NSCN-IM remaining adamant on its demand for a separate flag and constitution for the Nagas.

While releasing the BJP manifesto for the Nagaland election on February 14, party president J P Nadda asserted that the solution to the Naga political issue is in the final stage as the Narendra Modi government is tirelessly working on it. However, the manifesto has no mention of it.

“We should believe that we can together develop the North East region and alleviate poverty from the region, develop road infrastructure, airways and highways,” Sarma said.

Urging the electorate to vote for NDPP-BJP women candidates standing in three seats, he said Nagaland started its journey in 1960 but till date, no woman has become a legislator.

Sarma asserted that the NDPP-BJP will form the next government under Rio's leadership after the February 27 election.

Rio, who also addressed the gathering, expressed optimism that as discussed with Sarma, the Assam-Nagaland boundary dispute will be settled outside court amicably.

The two states share a 512.1 km-long border.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)