Naga CM, Guv hold talks; agitating Naga bodies turn down invite

Nagaland Chief Minister T R Zeliang and five cabinet ministers on Monday held discussions with the Governor even as Nagaland Tribes Action Committee Kohima and Joint Coordination Committee, the organisations spearheading the movement against the state government, turned down the Raj Bhavan's invitation for talks.

Reaffirming that their demand was "non-negotiable", the Nagaland Tribes Action Committee (NTAC) Kohima and Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) in a letter to the Governor this evening asserted, "The only solution to the crisis will depend on the stepping down of T R Zeliang from the office of the Chief Minister."

Governor P B Acharya had convened the meeting of the Chief Minister, his cabinet colleagues, NTAC Kohima and church leaders at 3 PM on Monday to find ways to resolve the ongoing crisis, which has snowballed since January 31, on the eve of the February 1 Urban Local Body (ULB) elections. Two youth were killed, several persons got injured and offices of State Election Commission and Deputy Commissioners of Kohima and Mokokchung were burnt on January 31 and February 1.

Raj Bhavan sources said the Governor and CM were closeted for talks this afternoon but did not divulge more details.

The JCC and NTAC said in the letter to Acharya that though the Chief minister and the Home Minister had agreed in principle to postpone the elections for two months and signed the tripartite agreement at Chumukedima on January 30, 2017, the state Cabinet went back on its promise and this led to the killing of two innocent youths and injury to several others in police firing in Dimapur and Longleng districts.

The two organisations further alleged that the Chief Minister instead of owning responsibility for the violence and loss of two lives and stepping down in a honourable manner, had appealed for peace in a "sarcastic maner".

The JCC and NTAC Kohima vowed not to participate in any discussion in presence of the Chief Minister who, the organisations alleged, had lost the trust and confidence of the people.

However, the two bodies were ready to participate in any consultative meeting without the Chief Minister, the letter added.