NSCN (I-M) to boycott assembly polls: Muivah

The National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) said on Friday that it will not participate in the assembly election in Nagaland.

After a "warm" meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani in New Delhi, NSCN (I-M) general secretary Th Muivah said, "We will not support any elections sponsored by the Government of India."

"The Nagas have always wanted to live together and have been divided arbitrarily by external forces. That we cannot accept," he said adding he was grateful for the resumption of talks between the Centre and the underground outfit.

He left no doubt that it was "quite natural" for his people to aspire to live on the land of their forefathers. "There is no question of Greater Nagaland or Smaller Nagaland. It is the land of the Nagas."

Asked about his outfit's demands, he said "We don't have any demands because we have our history and we don't demand anything from anybody. Our history is very clear to us. If anybody tries to change that, we would be very sorry."

He claimed that in 1947, Mahatma Gandhi had told the Nagas that they could have independence.

"Why? Because he [Gandhi] knew very well that Nagaland was never a part of India or any other country. That is the uniqueness of our history. We want our independence and we can never be denied."

Asked why the NSCN (I-M) had earlier boycotted the polls, Muivah said " We did not boycott the polls, the Nagas did. The destiny of the Nagas will have to be left to the Nagas."

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