The Naga People’s Front (NPF) has formally rejected calls by veteran politician Dr. SC Jamir for President’s Rule in Nagaland and dismissed criticism from the Concerned Naga Forum of Nagaland (CNFN) regarding the state government’s push for a political‑level interlocutor in the Naga peace talks.
In a statement issued from Dimapur, the NPF said Jamir’s remarks on September 12, describing governance as “almost collapsed” and “non‑existent,” were factually incorrect and aimed at undermining the government’s efforts to secure an early and honourable solution to the Naga political issue. The party also denied that the state administration had collapsed, noting that development activities were ongoing and that the government remained engaged with the Centre over the Naga issue.
The NPF criticised CNFN’s September 7 statement questioning the role of the Political Affairs Committee (PAC). It argued that since the departure of former interlocutor RN Ravi, negotiations had been handled at a bureaucratic adviser level, eroding confidence among political parties, civil society organisations, tribal leaders, intellectuals and elected representatives. The party said the PAC’s demand for a political‑level interlocutor was not for fresh negotiations but to give a political mandate to conclude agreements already reached, asserting that the Naga issue is fundamentally political.
The party defended Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio’s announcement of a proposed ministerial‑level committee, rejecting CNFN’s challenge to the chief minister’s authority. It highlighted Rio’s high‑level delegation that met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi earlier in the year, noting Shah’s assurance of a ministerial team that Rio subsequently announced in the state assembly.
NPF reiterated its support for an early, honourable, inclusive settlement to the Naga political issue and accused CNFN of opposing a political‑level interlocutor, thereby keeping the talks in limbo and confusing the public with what it called a myopic vision.
