Nagaland NSCN (IM)
NSCN-IM chief Thuingaleng Muivah. (File image)

The NSCN (I-M) on Monday accused Nagaland governor RN Ravi of โ€œdivisive extraordinary involvementโ€ behind commemoration of 58th Nagaland Statehood Day on Tuesday to โ€œjustify his all-out efforts to protect the 16-Point Agreement at all costsโ€.

โ€œRaviโ€™s stand is condemned by NSCN and Naga people,โ€ the โ€˜ministry of information and publicityโ€™ of the outfit said in a release.

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The NSCN said the history of Naga political struggle and the ongoing Indo-Naga political talk is a living testimony that the present Nagaland state is the brainchild of a โ€œfew treacherous Nagas that showed up in the name of Naga Peopleโ€™s Convention (NPC) hijacking the Naga issue without the concern of the bona fide freedom fightersโ€.

It alleged that the Intelligence Bureau was at its divisive game after getting hold of a few Nagas, especially government employees, to join the bandwagon, taking the name as Naga Peopleโ€™s Convention.

According to the outfit, the Convention without the consent, support and participation of the Naga people arrived at an agreement called the 16-Point Agreement that was responsible for the creation of Nagaland as the 16th state of the Indian Union. It said the agreement fragmented the Indian-occupied Naga territories by placing them into different administrative units of Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh.

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However, it said, this failed to stop the political aspirations of the Naga people and the Nagas set off the political struggle with greater passion and determination as testified by the ongoing struggle.

โ€œFor the Nagas the creation of Nagaland state as a result of manipulation and treachery has been recorded as an act of insult to the freedom fighters in particular and to the Naga people in general.  For such a treacherous act being brought to life in the name of commemorating the formation of Nagaland state we condemn such an act of defiance,โ€ the NSCN said.

Saying that the role of NPC was rejected and condemned by the Naga freedom fighters, including AZ Phizo, it alleged that the NPCโ€™s 16-Point Agreement sowed the seeds of colonialism and division.

โ€œThe Naga people shall take the stand never to allow another political hijack to take place when the ongoing Indo-Naga political talks have already signed the Framework Agreement to nullify any agreements of the past,โ€ the NSCN added.

Bhadra Gogoi is Northeast Now Correspondent in Nagaland. He can be reached at: [email protected]