Newsroom24x7 Desk

New Delhi: With an aim to end insurgency, the Government of India and the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) had a date this Monday, under the vigil of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The dialogue focussed on the six decade-old Naga issue and finally took shaped into an agreement.R.N.Ravi, Interlocutor (Govt of India), Isak Chishi Swu, Chairman and Muivah, General Secretary NSCN signed the agreement giving wings to a new peace accord.

Aiming at restoring peace and working towards a prosperous, opportunity-laden environment for the Naga people, the sustained dialogue between the two sides, conducted in a spirit of equality, respect and trust, deepened their mutual understanding and confidence, and enabled the two sides to reach an equitable agreement.

Later, PM Modi addressed the dignitaries and expressed his conviction and faith upon the event of signing the historic agreement between the Indian government and the NSCN.

Thanking Isak Swu albeit absent, Modi appreciated his role in the culmination of this agreement. Modi also acknowledged the other Naga leaders in general and Muviah in particular for their efforts and co-operation to bring this event towards conclusive agreement.

Expressing deep regrets over the delay of this event, Modi remarked, “Unfortunately, the Naga problem has taken so long to resolve because we did not understand each other. It is a legacy of the British Rule. The colonial rulers had, by design, kept the Nagas isolated and insulated. They propagated terrible myths about Nagas in the rest of the country. They deliberately suppressed the reality that the Nagas were an extremely evolved society. They also spread negative ideas about the rest of India among Naga people. This was part of the well known policy of divide and rule of the colonial rulers. It is one of the tragedies of Independent India that we have lived with this legacy. There were not many like Mahatma Gandhi, who loved the Naga people and was sensitive to their sentiments. We have continued to look at each other through the prism of false perceptions and old prejudices.”

PM Modi stated that this agreement is a shining example of what India can achieve when dealings with each other materielize in a spirit of equality and respect, trust and confidence. He said that when both sides seek to understand concerns and try to address aspirations and agree to leave the path of dispute and take the high road of dialogue, then it results in not not merely the end of a problem, but the beginning of a new future trying to heal wounds and resolve problems, and partner with the Naga people in restoring their pride and prestige.

On the government turf, Modi later interacted with varied national leaders and exchanged his enthusiasm on this agreement and its positive repercussions. Modi shared his thoughts personally with the Governor of Nagaland, Padmanabha Acharya, Chief Minister of Nagaland, T. R. Zeliang, former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, Janata Dal (United) leader, Sharad Yadav, Samajwadi Party leader, Mulayam Singh Yadav, CPI (M) leader Sitaram Yechury, BSP leader Kumari Mayawati, Nationalist Congress Party leader Sharad Pawar, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Ms. J.Jayalalithaa, West Bengal Chief Minister, Ms. Mamata Banerjee, DMK leader and former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M.Karunanidhi, Janata Dal (Secular) leader HD Deve Gowda and Congress President, Sonia Gandhi on this occasion.