Kohima, February 15 (IANS). Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Sunday strongly pitched for pan-Naga unity and urged the Central government to expedite a dignified and inclusive resolution of the long-pending Naga political issue.
Addressing the two-day Lui-Ngai-Ni festival at the Ukhrul district headquarters grounds, Rio said unity and faith are prerequisites for progress and lasting peace.
The festival was organized by the United Naga Council (UNC) and hosted by the Tangkhul Naga Long, both influential Naga organisations.
Extending greetings on the occasion, the Chief Minister described the Lui-Ngai-Ni festival as more than a cultural festival and called it an affirmation of Naga identity, heritage and shared future. He said that Naga traditions, dances, folklore, rituals and indigenous sports are living expressions of the community’s worldview and values.
Rio stressed that true unity does not mean uniformity, adding that the Naga people, even if divided by administrative boundaries, are emotionally and culturally united as one family. He stressed the need for a pan-Naga platform to provide a collective voice for shared aspirations.
Referring to the merger of NDPP (Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party) and NPF (Naga People’s Front) under the same symbol in October last year, Rio described it as a historic step to strengthen unity and morale in the larger interest of the Naga people.
On the political issue, Rio reiterated its long-standing demand to integrate all contiguous Naga-inhabited areas under one administrative structure. He recalled that the Nagaland Assembly has passed several resolutions in support of this aspiration and said that recent consultations with civil society groups have revealed an overwhelming public sentiment for an early solution.
Rio said a sub-committee of the Political Affairs Committee met Union Home Minister Amit Shah earlier this month to push for taking the peace talks forward at the political level and expressed hope for a timely, respectful and inclusive solution.
The event was attended by MLAs from Nagaland and Manipur, senior officials, party leaders and representatives of various Naga tribes and civil society organisations.
The Naga tribes celebrate the Lui-Ngai-Ni festival almost simultaneously with the arrival of spring, marking an auspicious time for sowing seeds.
–IANS
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