President Kovind arrives amidst political uncertainty in Nagaland

November 30, 2017 751 Views No Comment

President of India Ram Nath Kovind’s speech on December 1 will be closely watched as an air of uncertainty hovers around the peace talks that was expected to see an early solution within this year.

Naga Republic News

Unlike the visit to Nagaland of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for Statehood Day in 2014, not much political significance will be attached to the arrival of Ram Nath Kovind, President of India to Kohima. Also not much is known on what the President of India will say to the people of Nagaland. However his speech on December 1 will be closely watched as an air of uncertainty hovers around the peace talks that was expected to see an early solution within this year.

President Kovind, who will inaugurate the Hornbill Festival and State Formation Day celebrations, arrived at Kohima on 30^th November 2017 where he was received by the Governor of Nagaland, P.B Acharya, Chief Minister of Nagaland, T.R Zeliang along with his cabinet colleagues, Senior State Bureaucrats, IGAR, DGP Nagaland and other senior government officials.

The photo gallery shows President Ram Nath Kovind arriving in Kohima on his first visit to Nagaland as President of India. This is 12th state of the country that the President is visiting in month of November (Picture courtesy President of India‏ @rashtrapatibhvn)

Although the Election Commission of India a few days ago announced that elections to the Nagaland Assembly will go ahead as scheduled in February 2018, there is expectation from the Naga public that the Government of India would be more forthcoming in bringing better clarity on the next course.

It may be mentioned that the present government under Chief Minister TR Zeliang had repeatedly communicated to Delhi on the need for an early solution before the next coming State elections.

The Naga Republic had in an earlier news report (Is Nagaland heading for election and not solution?) questioned whether the Indo-Naga peace process had slowed down and if the Narendra Modi government in Delhi was pushing back the prospect of an early solution and instead allow the Election Commission of India to conduct another round of Assembly Elections in Nagaland.

Not surprisingly, the Election Commission of India informed that the Nagaland Assembly election would be held as per the schedule. This was revealed by none other than Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) A K Joti during his recent visit to Kohima.

According to a report in the Press Trust of India (PTI), asked if the poll panel was aware of the general perception of the people of Nagaland, whether the state government had informed it that a “solution” was more important than an election and if that solution to the Naga political issue should be arrived at before announcing the polls, the CEC replied in the negative.

“We have neither met the chief minister, nor has the government informed us about such issues,” Joti said as per PTI report.

Chief Minister TR Zeliang had led a team of senior Ministers, including Lok Sabha Member of Parliament Neiphiu Rio, calling on the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi only recently. The Nagaland government urged upon the Centre to finalise the long-standing Naga political issue before the Assembly elections scheduled early next year.

In response, the senior BJP leader Rajnath Singh appreciated the initiative of the Chief Minister and his colleagues for highlighting the need for an early solution and hoped that settlement of the Naga political Issue would be done soon.

There appears to be some inconsistency in the statements coming from both the political and security establishment in Delhi with regard to the proposed solution. Only recently the Government of India (GoI)’s Interlocutor had made a statement to the leading news daily Nagaland Post that “unless there was significant substantive change in the facts on the ground, the ensuing Nagaland Assembly Election 2018 will be held as scheduled”.

“We are working hard for an expeditious conclusion of the Peace Process. It has taken long time and is testing the patience of the people. While my endeavour is to conclude it as soon as possible, you will appreciate that it is not for one party alone to bring the agreement” he had stated while adding that “negotiating parties have to agree”.

It is against this uncertainty that President Kovind arrives in Nagaland. All eyes will on the President as he speaks on Statehood Day.

With inputs from DIPR and PTI