Talks With Naga Groups At Advanced Stage, No Agreement Time Frame: Centre

The Centre on Tuesday informed parliament that peace talks with the armed Naga group, NSCN-IM, have reached an advanced stage. It, however, added that no time frame can be given at the moment regarding the final agreement. The group's contentious demands for a separate flag and constitution had derailed the talks last year.

"Negotiations with Naga groups are at an advanced stage. However, no time frame for agreement can be indicated at this stage," Union Minister of State for Home, G Kishan Reddy, said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.

The NSCN-IM had signed a framework agreement on August 3, 2015 in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to find a permanent solution to the Naga issue. The framework agreement had been reached after over 80 rounds of negotiations spanning 18 years.

However, the talks hit a roadblock last year because of the two demands, which the Centre has categorically rejected.

A home ministry official told NDTV that the talks have been happening informally. "Formal meetings are not happening; although talks continue on an informal basis," the official said.

The group has also been critical of Nagaland Governor RN Ravi, the Centre-appointed interlocutor.

Last June, in a letter to Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, Mr Ravi had said armed gangs were brazenly running their own governments in the state challenging the legitimacy of its elected authority and creating a "crisis of confidence" in the system.

Nagaland Governor RN Ravi, in his Republic day speech this year, once again attacked the armed rebel groups and a section of the government, accusing them of being in a nexus.

"The menace of rampant extortion, under the guise of illegal taxation by anti-social elements, has not yet been fully curbed despite best efforts by the police and security forces. It has created a sense of fear among businesses and entrepreneurs which severely undermines the economy and growth of the state," Mr Ravi said.