Kohima: The Naga Students Federation (NSF) has written a letter on Saturday to the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh in regard to the claims of Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi for withdrawal of the Nagaland Armed Police (NAP) from the border areas.
The letter signed by NSF president Tongpang Ozukum and Assistant General Secretary Kesosul Christopher said it is quite unfortunate that the Chief minister of Assam, not satisfied of misusing and dishonouring Assam-Nagaland Border Agreement is on another mission to mislead the central leaders on border issues.
The NSF said the Government of Nagaland has honourably withdrawn the Nagaland Armed Police (NAP) from all border areas as per the Interim Agreement signed between the two states in presence of the Common Governor on 28th January 1979 in Shillong and the Ground Rules made on 11th April 1979 in New Delhi in presence of the then Union Home Minister.
However, till date the Assam Government has not withdrawn their forces from the border areas as agreed upon.
Therefore, the question of withdrawing Nagaland Police from Border areas as claimed by the Assam Chief Minister does not arise at all rather Assam Government should first honour the Interim Agreement made in the presence of the central leaders and withdraw their Armed Police Forces from the border areas.
The NSF said as per the 1979 Interim Agreement, in place of Nagaland and Assam Armed Police, CRPF and Assam Rifles was deputed as ‘Neutral Forces’ and the overall operation command of the CRPF and Assam Rifles was put under the Addl. I.G. Assam to be assisted by D.I.G. of Police from the two states.
But these neutral forces have always acted against the Nagas at the behest of Assam Government. Further, 20 more CRPF posts were brought under Assam State command to further subjugate the Nagas living in the border areas.
It is quite unfortunate for the indigenous people of Assam that Tarun Gogoi, throughout his chief ministership has been misleading their own people by sheltering the non-indigenous people and pushing them further to the border areas to fight the Nagas in the name of Assam and under the patronage of their government at the cost of the aged-old brotherly relationship between the indigenous people of the two states.
Therefore, the NSF said in order to maintain peaceful atmosphere in the border areas, the standing interim agreements should be either revoked or reviewed as these agreements is highly prejudiced towards Nagaland state and the government of India should take necessary action against the Chief Minister of Assam for misleading the central leaders and also for creating fear psychosis, border tension and unrest amongst the people living in the border areas. (UNI)
