Hero Image

Khandu: Will not part with any territory for Nagalim

GUWAHATI: Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Pema Khandu has said his government will not part with any territory of the state, as demanded by NSCN(I-M) to create a Greater Nagaland or 'Nagalim', by merging all Naga-inhabited areas in Assam, Arunachal and Manipur.


"Union home minister Amit Shah has said all the stakeholder states will be consulted (before the government signs with the Naga groups, including the NSCN-IM).

We have been made to understand that we are a stakeholder state because, what I gather, the NSCN(I-M) is demanding our land in the three districts bordering Nagaland," said Khandu.

He added, "I assure the people of my state of not compromising with our state's territory. We will not even consider any demand for parting with our land."

In the three Arunachal districts in question - Longding, Tirap and Changlang - the Nagas are in a majority.

Before Khandu, his Manipur counterpart Biren Singh, too had said no to any change in his state's territory. "We do not know what exactly is being discussed (between the centre and Naga groups) and the Naga Framework Agreement. Once I get the feedback, I will discuss the issue at an all-party meeting and after a consensus we will go ahead," he had said.

The All Arunachal Pradesh Students' Union (Aapsu), which is strongly opposing any attempt to redraw the state's map or setting up any administrative intervention in the state, has been demanding that the state government should make its stand on the issue clear.

On October 31, the MHA had stated that "before any settlement is arrived at with Naga groups, all stakeholders, including the states of Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh, will be duly consulted, and all their concerns will be taken into consideration."

According to the NSCN(I-M), 'Nagalim' is an independent state in the Patkai range at the tri-junction of China, India and Myanmar , spreading over an area of approximately 1,20,000 sqkm, in contrast to the present Nagaland's area of 16,527 sqkm.

NSCN(I-M)'s 'Nagalim' shows the whole of Assam's Karbi Anglong and North Cachar Hills (now Dima Hasao) district, parts of Golaghat, Sivasagar, Dibrugarh , Tinsukia, and Jorhat districts and large parts of Tamenlong, Senapati, Ukhrul and Chandel of Manipur besides the three districts of Arunachal Pradesh.

READ ON APP