TNR explores ‘middle-ground’ to break impasse on Naga solution

July 15, 2022 54 Views No Comment

DIMAPUR, JULY 15 (MExN): The Naga Rising (TNR) today informed that it undertook an initiative to “explore a middle-ground on the Naga flag that may be acceptable to the Government of India (GoI) and the Naga Political Groups (NPGs).”

For this, a press release from the TNR informed that it tapped into the “rich knowledge and experiences of experts/thinkers.”

Based on their responses, the TNR offered “some fresh ideas on the way forward for the peace process ranging from the Naga flag, the Naga constitution, the notion of shared sovereignty and the question of Naga-inhabited areas.”

On the Naga flag, the TNR said the participants were of the view that “recognizing the Naga flag would neither challenge the Indian tri-colour nor compromise the sovereignty of the Indian union.”

Suggestions gathered through the TNR intiative included naming the flag the “Naga Identity Flag;” viewing the flag as an extension of state emblem; not projecting the flag as a parallel to the Indian tri-colour, but rather in the nature of a state emblem; and using it for “purely representational purposes” in the capital.

Regarding the Naga Constitution, participants reportedly suggested that Article 371-A of the Indian Constitution could be “enhanced” or “recast” to accommodate the Naga Constitution and incorporate the new understanding.

On shared sovereignty, suggestions included realigning responsibilities to be shared by both the states and centre for asymmetric federalism. It was pointed out that the very first article of the Indian constitution says “India, that is Bharat, will be a union of states” and that some “variations” among the constituent states should not be anathema to Indian nationhood, rather should be encouraged.

At the same time, another participant opined that the sovereignty and integrity of the Indian union should be “explicitly recognized” in the new understanding with “shared sovereignty” limited to what is defined in the new understanding, including the right to a distinct flag, the TNR said.

To address the question of Naga-inhabited areas, a participant offered the idea of “a specific Schedule” in the Indian Constitution that could incorporate the Naga Constitution and could also cover the specific areas where Nagas are living.

The participant opined that the rights of other minorities, both Nagas and non-Naga minorities, living in those areas should also be “recognized” both within the Schedule of Indian Constitution as well as in the Naga Constitution.

Participants of the initiative included Prof Balveer Arora, former Rector cum pro Vice Chancellor, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and presently Chairman, Centre for Multilevel Federalism (CMF), Institute of Social Sciences, New Delhi; Pradip Phamjoubham, Senior journalist from Northeast and an Editor; and Prof Prasenjit Biswas, Department of Philosophy, North Eastern Hill University (NEHU), Shillong, Meghalaya.

Source: https://morungexpress.com/tnr-explores-middle-ground-to-break-impasse-on-naga-solution