india

Updated: Oct 14, 2019 17:43 IST

After accusing the Centre of backtracking on earlier commitments on a separate flag and constitution for Nagas, the Isak-Muivah faction of National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-IM) has now blamed the seven other rebel outfits engaged in talks with New Delhi of doublespeak on the Naga cause.

While NSCN-IM, the biggest of the Naga rebel outfits, is seeking a separate flag and constitution, it feels the other outfits, called the working committee of Naga National Political Groups or WC of NNPGs, are not serious about it.

Issuing a statement on Sunday evening, NSCN-IM said that those heading the WC, NNPGs are a “confused lot of people” who are speaking “in contrasting tone”.

NSCN-IM accused leaders of NNPGs of denying possibility of a separate constitution without having a nation or a final agreement while talking to certain media outlets, but stressing that a flag and constitution are integral part of negotiations in interviews to other platforms.

“When this group presented themselves as a confused bunch of people, disconnecting themselves from Naga political history as a nation, they are easily manipulated when sitting across the table negotiating in the name of Naga political solution,” the statement read.

Accusing the WC, NNPGs of being “in damning hurry to sign the (final) agreement anytime soon”, NSCN-IM stated that it would not “walk down the path of capitulated peace”.

On Saturday, in a separate statement, the NSCN-IM had accused the Centre of trying to backtrack on the commitments of the framework agreement signed with it in August 2015.

The outfit had also expressed its displeasure at the importance given to seven other rebel outfits, which joined the ongoing peace talks at a much later stage.

“After 22 years long intensive negotiations, the Government of India has now started to twist and backtrack on their commitments and words so that the hard earned framework agreement is nullified on any pretext,” said the statement.

The Naga peace talks, which aims to resolve the demand by various Naga rebel outfits seeking greater autonomy, including a separate constitution and flag, have been going for over two decades.

In August 2015, the Indian government signed a framework agreement (which was to be basis for further talks for a final solution) with NSCN-IM. Seven other outfits joined to talks two years ago.

In August this year, Centre’s chief interlocutor for the talks RN Ravi took charge as Nagaland Governor. His statement the same month that Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants talks to conclude within 3 months led to speculations that the final agreement could be inked before this year ends.