Naga talks put off at last minute

GUWAHATI: The final round of the Centre-NSCN(IM) negotiations to thrash out a “Naga settlement” by Independence Day was at the last minute postponed from Friday to next week, triggering speculation that the outfit’s grouse against Nagaland governor and interlocutor RN Ravi had something to do with it. The NSCN(IM) had skipped its meeting with Ravi in Dimapur on July 16, citing the health of the outfit’s general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah .

Before meeting the NSCN(IM) members, the PMO will be sitting with the apex body of Naga tribes, the Naga Hoho, which has also had issues with Ravi. Naga Hoho general secretary K Elu Ndang said they had sent a memorandum to PM Modi on July 28, seeking his intervention. “The PMO invited us to Delhi for talks but no date has been fixed yet”.