APCC raises suspicion over Assam CM’s talks with NSCN(IM)

Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) President Bhupen Kumar Borah has issued a press statement on Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s meeting with NSCN (IM).

In the year 2015, Prime Minister Sri Narendra Modi had proudly announced the Nagaland Framework Agreement of Government of India with NSCN (IM) by declaring that “today, we mark not merely the end of a problem but the beginning of a new future”. Surprisingly the Framework Agreement was not publicly divulged, Borah said in his statement.

At that time Congress Party had demanded that the contents of the Framework Agreement should be made public but till today nobody knows what is in the Agreement. Years passed but the pompous announcement remained an announcement only. One did not see anything happen on the ground. Subsequently PM Modi also appointed his most trusted aide, Naga Peace Talks Interlocutor Sri RN Ravi as the Governor of Nagaland in 2019, said Borah.

Also read: Naga peace talks set to resume as interlocutor, Assam CM step in

Matters did not improve and the Framework Agreement appeared to be a “Discord Agreement” as public spats between leaders of NSCN(IM) and Governor Ravi became headlines of news reports and now Mr Modi has removed Governor Ravi without resolving the Nagaland issue. At the same time we have heard that Home Minister Sri Amit Shah has deputed Assam CM Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma to talk to NSCN (IM).

“The question now arises in what capacity will the Assam CM talk to NSCN(IM)? As a Chief Minister can he go and hold talks without without taking the Assembly and Cabinet into confidence? asked the congress leader, further stating that the NSCN(IM) is known to be a supporter of “Greater Nagalim” and for all they know it is supposed to include parts of Assam.

Congress Party is committed to keeping its state intact and under no circumstances will allow any part of its land into Greater Nagalim, he added asking if the people of Assam can trust Dr Sarma to defend Assam’s interests when he had miserably failed to do so in the recent Mizoram Assam border issue?

“He had publicly said that he is ready to give whole of Barak Valley and even Guwahati to Mizoram? Can Dr Sarma be trusted to defend Assam’s interests in his talks with NSCN(I-M) when his blind allegiance to the Delhi BJP High Command’s dictates are well known to all? It has been reported that CM Nagaland and CM Manipur have also been asked to be part of the talks along with CM Assam. But we have come know that CM Manipur has decided not to participate in the talks due to differences on “Greater Nagalim issue”, said Borah.

Also read: Himanta Biswa Sarma says new state assembly should ratify definition of ‘Assamese’

The APCC thus views the act of participation of Dr Sarma in the talks with full of suspicion and mistrust and apprehends that Assam’s interest may be compromised in the long run. Congress Party demands that the Goverment of India should immediately put the contents of the Framework Agreement of 2015 in public domain.

The Congress Party also demands that the Prime Minister, Home Minister and Dr Sarma should make their intentions public to the people of Assam before venturing into such doubtful and dubious expeditions in the name of peace talks.