Naga peace talks are on, hopeful PM’s initiative will bear fruit: HM

Tuensang (PTI): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday asserted that Naga peace talks are underway and hoped that the initiative taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to bring lasting peace in the northeastern state will bear fruit.

Addressing an election rally in Tuensang, Shah said there are some issues related to development and rights of eastern Nagaland and those will be addressed after the assembly elections.

“There was an insurgency in Nagaland before 2014... We started the peace process. I am hopeful that the initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi will bear fruit in bringing lasting peace in the state with the preservation of Naga culture, language and tradition,” he said.

Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO), the apex tribal body in the region, had called for a boycott of the assembly elections over their ‘Frontier Nagaland’ separate statehood demand.

“The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has held discussions with ENPO and an ‘agreed agreement’ has been reached. But we could not materialise it due to the implementation of the Model Code of Conduct.

“I promise you all that after the elections, the agreement will be implemented through which all issues of eastern Nagaland will be addressed. There will be massive development in the region and you will get your rights,” he said.

Asserting that several measures were taken in the last nine years of BJP rule at the Centre to bring peace in the Northeast, he claimed that there was a 70 per cent dip in violent incidents in the region during the period.

NDPP and BJP are contesting the poll on a 40-20 seat-sharing formula.

Elections to the 60-member assembly will be held on February 27 and votes will be counted on March 2.

There was an insurgency in Nagaland before 2014... We started the peace process. I am hopeful that the initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi will bear fruit in bringing lasting peace in the state with the preservation of Naga culture, language and tradition.

—Amit Shah, Union Home Minister

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