Staff Reporter
DIMAPUR, SEP 17 (NPN): NPF secretary general and advisor, SCERT and Food Processing, Achumbemo Kikon, on Thursday criticised former Nagaland chief minister and former governor Dr SC Jamir and former minister K Therie, questioning their present positions on the Naga political issue and accusing them of changing their narratives over the years.
Addressing the birthday celebration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi organised by the NPF at Niathu Resort, Kikon said the NPF continued to stand for an “honourable, inclusive, and acceptable” solution to the Naga political issue, asserting that the creation of Nagaland State in 1963 could not be treated as the final settlement.
Taking particular exception to Jamir’s recent interventions, Kikon likened his present statements to those of “an old man in a hurry”, drawing a parallel with former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda’s description of then Congress president Sitaram Kesri during the fall of the United Front government in 1997.
Pointing out that the NPF’s position was based on historical records and documents rather than allegations or its own creation, Kikon referred to a letter attributed to Jamir in 1963, which he claimed showed that Jamir had opposed Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s proposed meeting with Naga leader AZ Phizo. Kikon read out portions of the letter, which he said was addressed to the then chief executive councillor of Nagaland, P Shilu Ao. According to Kikon, Jamir had expressed apprehension that a proposed meeting between Nehru and Phizo could undermine the agreement between the Naga People’s Convention and Government of India that preceded the creation of Nagaland State.
He also referred to former chief minister Hokishe Sema’s earlier criticism of Jamir, saying historical records showed that Jamir had previously been described as an obstacle to a political settlement. Kikon argued that subsequent developments following statehood demonstrated that the Naga political question had not been settled by the creation of Nagaland. “If statehood is the final solution, do you think Government of India will sign another ceasefire with effect from September 6, 1964 with the NNC/FGN?” he questioned.
He also pointed to the 1964 ceasefire and subsequent political negotiations between Naga representatives and the Government of India, including talks at the Prime Ministerial level, to reinforce the NPF’s position that the Naga political issue remained unresolved.
“For us, Naga solution, honourable, inclusive, acceptable solution, still awaits,” Kikon said, clarifying that the NPF did not contend that statehood was “non-existent” but regarded it as part of the political process.
Kikon also criticised the policy pursued during Jamir’s tenure as chief minister, alleging that his government had kept sections of Naga society away from the corridors of power through a policy of “equi-distance”.
He said after the NPF government succeeded the Jamir government in 2003, the NPF changed the approach to “equi-closeness”, arguing that all Nagas should be treated as members of one family regardless of their political background. “Naga people are all equal, one family,” Kikon said, adding that the NPF believed differences should be addressed collectively rather than by keeping sections of society apart.
Kikon further criticised Jamir over his reported remarks about the possibility of imposing President’s Rule in Nagaland, describing such remarks as unbecoming of a senior political leader.
He also trained his criticism on former Nagaland minister K Therie over his reported criticism of the NPF and its role in the Naga political process.
Referring to a 2002 report by a journalist, Kikon said Therie had then described Jamir as the “main obstacle” to the Naga peace process.
The June 10, 2002 report, which Kikon said was available in the public archive, recorded Therie accusing former chief minister Jamir of being an obstacle to the peace process, including over Jamir’s position on Naga sovereignty and his controversial publication Bedrock of Naga Society.
Kikon questioned Therie’s present position in view of his earlier criticism.
“Today what he is saying, he is saying that, ‘There is no other person taller, bigger than Jamir in Naga politics’,” Kikon said, alleging that such contrasting positions could confuse the younger generation.
He appealed to senior Naga leaders to maintain consistency in their positions on the Naga political issue, particularly when addressing younger generations who, he said, had little direct experience of the conflict and its difficult years.
“Let us not confuse our young generation,” Kikon said.
He added that the Naga political issue required responsible discourse and urged senior leaders to exercise greater caution in their statements.
Kikon maintained that the NPF’s position remained that a political solution should be honourable, inclusive and acceptable to all stakeholders, while asserting that the party would continue to articulate its position on the issue.