NE CMs Rally Behind Congress: Nagaland Accord
NEW DELHI: Lining up three Chief Ministers of the Congress-ruled North-East states, the party on Friday launched yet another attack on the newly signed Naga peace accord between the Centre and the NSCN(I-M).
The Congress not only called the developments around the accord "misleading", but also accused the government of "insulting three senior most CMs of the country".
Assam Chief Minster Tarun Gogoi, on Friday addressing a late evening presser at the Congress headquarters here said whatever little idea he had of the accord was from the NSCN(I-M) chief Isak Muviah's statement which said that a framework had been reached and "political resolution was being worked out".
Since neither the CMs nor the Union Cabinet or Parliament had been taken into confidence, Gogoi said he was left with hardly any option other than to put the questions to Muviah. "I don't know why the government is keeping the document a secret. (So) I ask Muviah, has he given up the demand of Nagalim (Greater Nagaland)?" Gogoi said.
He said apprehensions on whether the territorial boundary of his state and that of Manipur and Arunachal will be redrawn are growing by the day.
He also questioned the legality of the accord, "How can interlocutor R N Ravi sign the agreement? It has been to be signed by a Secretary (of the Centre), Jt Secretary or a minister."
Gogoi also alleged that even the Nagaland CM was in the dark on the contours of the accord.
Compared to the present situation, he added, former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee used to take the Chief Ministers into confidence even while signing the ceasefire agreement with the Naga groups.
Manipur CM Ibobi Singh maintaining the same line of accusation said he had to rush to the national capital despite the unrest and flood situation in his state as the accord was creating serious issues.
"People are asking questions and I, an elected Chief Minister, have no answer," he said.
Ibobi claimed that he had called up Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh the day the Naga accord was signed and was assured that the text of the accord would be tabled in Parliament. "But, he has not done so. We are still in the dark," he said.
Congress media incharge Radeep Surjewala interjected that even "the Home Secretary, we found, was unaware of the contours of the Naga accord". Joining the complaint chorus, Arunachal CM Nabam Tuki said while he welcomed the peace process the 'territorial integrity' of his state "should not be compromised".
"If they are planning to hand over two districts of my state I must be consulted," he said.
The CMs, however, said they will not be seeking an appointment with the Prime Minister.