Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio, also an ally of the BJP-led ruling NDA, has suggested that a popular government should be installed in Manipur, as the disturbance in the state is impacting its neighboring northeastern states as well. Rio is the longest serving chief minister of Nagaland, and with the merger of his previous party, the Naga People's Front (NPF), with the current one, the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP), he now heads an Opposition-less government in the state.
In an interview with ET, Rio said he founded the NPF and later the NDPP and the two parties "merged to work for early resolution of the Naga political issue." "The one common agenda of the Opposition-less government is that the Naga issue be resolved amicably," Rio said.
When asked about the suggestions on the Naga issue, he said the resolution could be achieved within the framework of the 2015 agreement signed between the Naga groups and the Union government. The chief minister also suggested that the integration of the Naga areas from the neighboring states of Nagaland was also an important part of the conversation.
On AFSPA in Nagaland, Rio said it is being reviewed every six months and "should continue till a resolution is achieved."
When asked about ethnic violence in Manipur, Rio said it was impacting the neighboring states also. On the question of the President's rule in Manipur, Rio said, "I am a politician... I can never advise the President's rule, a popular government should be installed. In Manipur there are three major groups - Meiteis, Kukis, and Nagas. Nagas also need to be taken into confidence. For Kukis and Meiteis, a healing process is needed. The main problem is the trust deficit between them."
He also emphasised that the Protected Area Permit (PAP) was impacting Nagaland. PAP was again imposed in December last year after the violence in Manipur. "It (PAP) is impacting the development of the state. I have raised this issue with the Union government. Ours is a peaceful state, with the lowest criminal rate, and there is no clash between the Naga groups and the Army. Nagaland is the safest place. How can it be categorised with Manipur and Mizoram. The reason I am mentioning Mizoram is because Mizo and Kukis are brothers. And there are Kukis in Mizoram who came from Manipur," Rio added.
He further suggested that because of this issue, NDA lost the Lok Sabha election in Nagaland. "We lost the Lok Sabha polls because of this issue. There is not a single Congress MLA in the assembly; they don't have an organisation set up in the state," he added.
Talking about economic development, Rio said that Nagaland is rich in mineral resources, including natural gas and oil, but exploration remains sub-judice, limiting economic growth.
