Cong attacks govt over NSCN-IM's claims on 2015 agreement

New Delhi, Aug 19: The Congress on Wednesday attacked the government over Naga rebel group NSCN-IM's claim that the 2015 Framework Agreement was signed after a series of discussions based on the principle of "shared- sovereignty", and sought answers over the deal.

The NSCN-IM, which has been engaged in peace negotiations with the government, had last week said that an honourable solution to the seven-decades-old violent movement is not possible without a Naga flag and a constitution.

Congress spokesperson Shaktisinh Gohil said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared in August 2015 that a peace accord has been signed and the Naga problem will be solved.

He alleged that when the Congress asked for the details, the Centre did not provide any details and later it emerged that it was not a peace accord, but a framework agreement.

Gohil also cited the recent statement of NSCN-IM general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah who had said that the Nagas have their own flag and constitution and the insurgent group was not asking for these from the government.

Referring to the August, 2015 ''Framework Agreement'', signed by Muivah and government interlocutor for talks, R N Ravi, in presence of Modi, the NSCN-IM leader had said the deal was reached after a series of intensive discussions based on the principle of the proposed "co-existence and shared-sovereignty".

Gohil sought answers from the government over the agreement, stating that this was not a secret deal and people and the country should know about it.

He said all stakeholder states should have been involved in the talks.

Gohil said the government needs to clarify and come clean on whether shared sovereignty was discussed as part of the framework agreement.

The framework agreement came after over 80 rounds of negotiations spanning 18 years, with the first breakthrough made in 1997 when the ceasefire agreement was sealed after decades of insurgency in Nagaland which started soon after India''s independence in 1947.