DIMAPUR, October 17 (Newmai News Network): After the much hyped “settlement” stories pertaining to the Naga political issue minted from New Delhi, NSCN-IM chairman Isak Chsi Swu and the outfit`s general secretary are arriving in Nagaland on Thursday for what they called “home consultations.”
Information received by Newmai News Network this afternoon said the two NSCN-IM leaders will be holding consultations with the Naga civil societies and those who matter in the issue on the unfolding development of the Naga peace talks.
“We have reached a crucial and a very sensitive stage and consultations have become a necessity,” a well placed source from the NSCN-IM disclosed.
It is not certain whether the NSCN-IM leaders will meet other Naga militant outfits during their stay in Nagaland this time.
This leg of the two NSCN-IM leaders` home-bound visit is significant if the recent comment of Union Home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde is taken into account who had stated that the settlement pertaining to Naga political issue would be brought about by March next year, before the next assembly election of Nagaland.
The concerted efforts of the 60 MLAs of Nagaland make the ambience more euphoric and feverish for the Nagas who have been eagerly waiting to see that once and for all the Naga political issue is settled.
More urgency is the comment of none other than Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio who had just stated prior to the Joint Legislature Forum (JLF)`s departure for New Delhi. “If this opportunity is missed, I don’t know whether such opportunity will come back to our people during our lifetime,” was what Rio had said.
Meanwhile, elaborate arrangements have been made at Camp Hebron, off Dimapur (the NSCN-IM`s headquarters) by the NSCN-IM. Security perspective both by the government and the outfit has also been reviewed, according to reports received.
Since Isak Swu and Th. Muivah are classed in the Z-Category (Security) by the government of India, every time the two leaders arrive in Nagaland, security beefs up.
Meanwhile, the whirlwind meetings of the Nagaland legislators with the Central leaders in New Delhi has wound up this evening with BJP stalwart L.K Advani as the last man whose help was sought by the former.
The 20-member delegation of the Joint Legislature Forum (JLF) headed by Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio met L.K Advani at around 5:30 this evening and pressed the BJP leader to help settle the vexed Naga political issue at the earliest time possible.
What conspired in the meeting was not known but a source close to Neiphiu Rio disclosed to Newmai News Network that the BJP leader `did not disappoint` the Naga legislators but `created an ambience of optimism`.
With this meeting with L.K Advani, the camping of the Nagaland MLAs in New Delhi has concluded. “The chief minister is likely to come back to Nagaland in a couple of days,” further disclosed the source while adding, “However, all the 20 members will not be coming back together since everyone has their own respective programmes.”
The 20-member team representing the 60 MLAs of the Nagaland legislative assembly had gone to the national capital on Sunday last and had met several Central leaders that included Union home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, Opposition leader Sushma Swaraj, convenor of National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Sharad Yadav, New Delhi`s interlocutor R.S Pandey, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar and NSCN-IM leader Thuingaleng Muivah.
“Since the JLF delegation had met the Prime Minister in their first leg they had opted this time not to meet him,” the source stated. This is the final camping of the JLF in the national capital.
Floated few months ago by the 60 MLAs of the Nagaland legislative assembly cutting across party lines, the JLF had toured various parts of Nagaland meeting Naga militant outfits on the vexed issue.
However, the move of 60 Nagaland MLAs is not without crticism and opposition from certain quarters.
The NSCN faction headed by Khole and Kitovi Zhimomi had questioned whether the JLF was favouring only one Naga militant outfit and so is the NSCN-K which had expressed that the outfit would never be a part of “the so called JLF”.