Deputy Chief Minister, TR Zeliang on Saturday said the Political Affairs Committee (PAC) has decided to intensify efforts in 2026 to achieve tangible progress on the long-pending Naga political issue, stressing that unity among Naga civil society and political groups is crucial for moving the peace process forward.
Speaking to reporters after the PAC meeting held at Chümoukedima, Zeliang clarified that no formal resolution was adopted, but detailed deliberations were held on initiating serious efforts to push the process towards meaningful results.
He said the committee agreed that this year must be used to initiate serious efforts to bring about meaningful results “by all means.”
Zeliang underlined that one of the major challenges confronting the Naga political movement is fragmentation, with numerous civil society organizations and groups speaking in different voices on the same issue. He said the PAC deliberated on the need to create a Naga common platform for the Naga people of Nagaland, enabling a more coherent and effective engagement on the political problem.
“Because all the NGOs are fragmented and all the organizations speak in their own way about the Naga issue, we should have only one apex body that will talk about the Naga issue so that they represent the Naga people by and large,” he said, adding while elected leaders represent the people under the Constitution of India, NGOs must also come together on a common platform to avoid multiple mouthpiece and only organization should speak about the Naga issue.
“That is what we have discussed, but no resolution was taken,” he stressed.
Download Nagaland Tribune app on Google Play
Responding to a question on the growing number of Naga political groups—now exceeding 33—Zeliang said the situation is indeed concerning, but insisted that the government is requesting Naga tribal bodies to come together. “We should impress upon all the factions to come together under one umbrella, so that the solution will be one,” Zeliang said, adding, “There cannot be 33 solutions. 33 factions, 33 solutions will not be there.”
He further said the Government’s objective is to bring the Naga civil society together and all the underground groups to one common platform, so that a Naga solution can be found.
Also speaking reporters, MLA Achumbemo Kikon said that during the Political Affairs Committee (PAC) meeting, they shared their opinions and came to a conclusion that they would not pass a resolution.
“But we have a common understanding that this year, 2026, we will very, very vigorously pursue, as an active facilitator on the resolution of the Naga political issue,” he said adding, “as a member of the PAC, we will vigorously pursue because the responsibility has been entrusted with us. Therefore, we will try our best”.
He also denied that any discussion was held about the airport encroachment and railway encroachment, stating that it was probably taken up at a Cabinet meeting and not during PAC meeting.
