Kohima, February 27: The Federal Government of Nagaland (FGN) has reiterated the 14-Point Guideline issued in 1980 by A.Z. Phizo, President of the Naga National Council (NNC), reaffirming its position that the Naga issue concerns sovereignty and is “not an internal matter of India.”
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| Flag of Nagaland, adopted by the NSCN |
In a press release issued by the Ministry of Rali Wali, FGN urged Nagas to remain “very careful and wise in speaking, writing and doing in defence of our Nation,” while acknowledging that certain expressions in the guideline may be adapted in line with changing times and circumstances.
The guideline reiterates the assertion that “The Nagas are a nation in their own right” and maintains that Nagaland is a sovereign state. It further claims that the Nagas had no treaty with the British and never became a protectorate.
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On the question of autonomy, the guideline references India’s offer of autonomy in 1947, stating that it was rejected on the grounds that the Nagas considered themselves sovereign prior to India’s independence and adoption of its Constitution in 1950.
The FGN maintained that the Naga issue is not a domestic matter of India, asserting that it concerns sovereignty rather than internal political arrangements. It also referred to terminology used by Indian authorities, contending that labels such as “underground” and “rebels” misrepresent the Naga political position.
The release further cited a letter written by Phizo from London on May 10, 1986, to then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, in which he described the situation as “a case of invasion” and not merely a political issue.
The FGN’s statement reiterates long-held positions of sections of the Naga nationalist movement and comes amid ongoing discussions and differing perspectives surrounding the Naga political issue.
