Naga issue: NSCN(IM) sticks to demand for separate flag, constitution

Dimapur (Nagaland): The NSCN(IM) on Sunday expressed that by no means it would forego the interest for a different flag and constitution (constitution) to accomplish a last answer for the independent Naga policy driven issue.The Isak-Muivah group of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM), which is holding harmony converses with the public authority for north of twenty years, said it joins extraordinary significance to the Naga flag and constitution as a feature of the arrangement.Thus, the NSCN(IM) affirmed that under no circumstances it can forego these core issues that symbolised the Naga national identity, the organisation said in a statement.The NSCN(IM) and the Centre signed a framework agreement in 2015 to find a solution to the political issue.The framework agreement came after over 80 rounds of negotiations spanning 18 years, with the first breakthrough in 1997 when the ceasefire agreement was sealed after decades of insurgency in Nagaland which started soon after Independence in 1947.The union government has also been holding a separate parley with Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs) comprising seven organisations since 2017.However, the final solution is yet to see the light of the day mainly because of the unwillingness of the government to accept the NSCN(IM)’s persistent demand for a separate flag and constitution.The Center isn’t willing to acknowledge the requests likely on the grounds that it had revoked Article 370 which gave an exceptional status to Jammu and Kashmir. With the revocation of the exceptional status in 2019, the different banner and the constitution of Jammu and Kashmir fail to exist.On numerous occasions the NSCN(IM) has taken the unfaltering stand that it won’t ever digress from the Naga public rule at any expense, the outfit said in the proclamation.