New Delhi, Jan 18: MPs belonging to major political parties, including BJP and Congress, today had a meeting with leaders of Naga insurgent outfit NSCN (I-M) after which its general secretary Th Muivah said he was convinced that their voice was being heard.
The luncheon meeting was hosted by Swaraj Kaushal of
Haryana Vikas Party (HVP) who had earlier acted as the
Centre's interlocutor with the NSCN(I-M) before being replaced
by K Padmanabhaiah.
When contacted, Kaushal said he told Muivah and NSCN(I-M)
chairman Isak Chisi Swu that the Naga problem had become a
"national issue" and the country as such was willing to
listen to them.
As many as 27 MPs belonging to BJP, Congress, Shiv Sena,
Samata Party, Shiromani Akali Dal, INLD, Samajwadi Party,
JD(U) and Himachal Vikas Party, besides independents, attended
the meet. Several former MPs were also present.
According to Kaushal, Muivah told the gathering that
though the NSCN (I-M) leaders had not been heard for the past
55 years, they were now convinced that they were being
listened to.
Today's meeting follows one the Naga leaders had with
Congress president Sonia Gandhi and former prime ministers V P
Singh and I K Gujral and some other opposition leaders.
Muivah and Swu have already met Prime Minister Atal
Bihari Vajpayee, his deputy L K Advani, defence minister
George Fernandes, finance minister Jaswant Singh and national
security adviser Brajesh Mishra.
They would hold two days of official-level parleys with
Padmanabhaiah, intelligence bureau director K P Singh and
secretary (border management) in the home ministry R C A
Jain from January 20.
Bureau Report
