GUWAHATI: Even as the Government of India is expected to finally resolve the vexed Naga political problem after prolonged dialogue with the Naga rebel group NSCN-IM and as a follow up to signing of the `framework of agreement’ with the Naga group in August 2015, apprehension have been raised in neighbouring states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur regarding maintenance of the states’ territorial integrity.
The apprehension arises out of the NSCN-IM’s longstanding demand for a Nagalim, an integrated Naga-inhabited area in the Northeast including those inside the present geographical boundary of neighbouring states. And that the content of the `framework of agreement’ has been kept a closely guarded secret, it has compounded the apprehension among the populace in the neighbouring states.
Several organisations in Assam including Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), an ally in the BJP-led coalition government, have threatened mass agitation in case even an inch of Assam land is incorporated in the proposed `Nagalim’ as demanded by the NSCN-IM.
This has prompted the Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, who met the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh over the issue last week, to assure that territorial integrity of Assam would not be allowed to be disturbed at any cost while the Centre settles Naga issue with the NSCN-IM.
Meanwhile, the BJP government in Manipur has constituted an all-party sub-committee to seek intervention of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure that territorial integrity of Manipur is not disturbed at all. The sub-committee is headed by Deputy chief minister Y Joy Kumar Singh.
The BJP led government in Manipur taken this initiative even though Naga People’s Front (NPF), a key partner in the ruling coalition, supports the NSCN-IM’s demand for integration of Naga-inhabited areas of Manipur hills to proposed Nagalim.
On the other hand, the State Government of Arunachal Pradesh too have made known its strong opposition to any move to include any part of the state to the proposed Nagalim as demanded by the NSCN-IM.