Nagaland Assembly adopts resolution on integration of contiguous Naga inhabited areas

    Kohima, Sep 20 (PTI) The Nagaland Legislative Assembly on Thursday unanimously adopted a resolution on integration of the contiguous Naga inhabited areas for all Nagas to live under one administrative umbrella.
    MLAs of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party-Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) coalition and opposition Naga People's Front (NPF) voted for the resolution moved by chief minister Neiphiu Rio by raising their hands.
    It is the sixth such resolution adopted by the assembly. The House had earlier passed such resolutions in 1964, 1970, 1994, 2003 and 2015.
    Adopting the resolution, the House placed on record its deep appreciation for the invaluable sacrifices made by the Nagas over the past several decades in their efforts for honourable, acceptable, inclusive and expeditious settlement of the 'Indo-Naga' political issue.
    The House appealed to all sections of Nagas to continuously sustain and strengthen unity and peacefully participate in the ongoing negotiations so that the aforesaid settlement becomes inclusive.
    It also appealed to the Naga political groups that walked away from the negotiating table to return for an expeditious settlement.
    The House expressed its gratitude to all parties to the negotiations, especially the government of India under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for inking the Framework Agreement on August 3, 2015, and also for the written agreement on November 17, 2017 with the Naga National Political Groups (NNPG).
    In his opening remarks, Rio said this is the first initiative of the newly reconstituted Joint Legislators Forum on Indo-Naga Political Issue of the assembly under the chairmanship of Speaker Vikho-o Yhoshu.
    Earlier, participating in the discussion before the adoption of the resolution, the members of the House, including Leader of Opposition T R Zeliang, and Ministers Tongpang Ozukum, Temjen Imna Along, were of the opinion that mere adoption of resolution in the assembly will not be the solution.
    They were of the view that the Joint Legislators Forum, which would include the two MPs of the state, should be divided into smaller groups and made to approach the different NNPGs, civil societies and NGOs to raise a common voice to impress upon the government to find an early solution to the vexed issue.
    Earlier, the assembly passed the Nagaland Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2018, by voice vote without any deliberations. It was introduced in the House by Rio on Tuesday.
    The House was later adjourned sine die by the speaker. PTI NBS RG DIV
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