Begin typing your search above and press return to search.

Nagaland JD (U) backs Rio on Naga integration remarks

By Correspondent

DIMAPUR, July 7 - The Nagaland unit of the Janata Dal (United) has expressed concern over the �ceaseless attack� on Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio over his stand on the issue of Naga integration.

Stating that the clarifications issued on June 14 and the 15 have categorically removed the confusion over Rio�s statement on the issue, the JD (U) said the Chief Minister had only reproduced the Union Home Minister�s statement on the Centre�s stand on the issue of Naga area integration, which was conveyed to the People�s Democratic Alliance delegation in New Delhi on June 12.

The JD (U) is an alliance partner of the PDA Government in Nagaland.

The party said that no aspersions could be cast on the Chief Minister�s stand on integration. It also appealed to all stakeholders to put the issue to rest and cooperate for an early solution to the long-pending Naga problem.

Earlier, the Opposition Naga People�s Front (NPF) asked Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio to give reasons for his statement given to the media in New Delhi on June 12 that �integration (of contiguous Naga areas) is not possible anymore�.

In a release on Thursday, the NPF alleged that Rio was blaming the media for misquoting his statement to escape the glaring eyes of the public. Video clips and other documentary proofs are in the public domain, the party said.

On Wednesday, the Chief Minister had issued a clarification on his comments on the issue of integration of contiguous Naga areas. He said he had only told the media what was conveyed to a delegation led by him during a meeting with Home Minister Rajnath Singh and other Central Government officials in New Delhi on June 12. Rio also clarified that those comments were not his personal views or that of the NDPP or the PDA Government.

The Chief Minister said a section of people misunderstood his statement made in New Delhi.

Next Story