By Anwesha Bhaumik

Kolkata, Jun 12 (IANS): Tne National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) has reminded the Central government that it "cannot and should not" go back on the 2015 Framework Agreement in its quest for a final solution of the Naga problem.

"The Framework Agreement is not something that was signed in a hurry. It was the result of the well thought out proposal from the government of India when the Indo-Naga political talk faced deadlock-like situation," the NSCN said in a statement.

It said the agreement was arrived at to resolve the deadlock by touching on"the core issue of solution within Indian Constitution (Centre's stand) and outside the Indian Constitution (Naga stand)".

"It was the result after a long series of talks, when the government of India finally proposed the Framework Agreement as a formula of win-win solution. Significantly, the talks had revolved around the Framework Agreement with both the parties cautiously taking care not to allow either side to take strategic advantage or deviation from the agreement," the statement added.

The rebel group welcomed the formation of a Core Committee by the Nagaland state government but warned against any attempt "to dilute the spirit and substance of the Framework Agreement as mutually agreed upon as the final basis for Naga political solution".

The NSCN statement lashed out at the "foot-in-mouth"' syndrome of the state BJP unit in Nagaland, which it said, is "already giving the Core Committee a bad picture before the work take off".

"No such committee is expected to bear fruits if historical reality is not taken into account. If the BJP wants to solve the Naga political issue within the Indian Constitution it is high time the BJP make its stand very clear on its understanding of the Naga national movement."

It asked the Narendra Modi government at the Centre to take cognisance of the declaration of the Naga Independence on the August 14, 1947 and the Naga Plebiscite on May 16, 1951.

"These two events constitute the most important landmarks in the Naga national movement... The Naga people went through horrendous violations of human rights never seen anywhere in the world at the hands of the Indian security forces. More than two lakhs Nagas lost their lives, besides

destruction of properties by the Indian security forces throughout Nagalim," the NSCN statement claimed.

"The BJP should make its stand very clear, either to admit these factual accounts of history or deny it."

The rebel group also warned the Core Committee members "not to overrate themselves or outdo its role at the cost of destroying the Naga political identity that NSCN has robustly protected throughout the two decades of talk" with the Central government.

Hardline NSCN commanders like Phungting Shimran has already warned the Modi government of a

"China card", hinting at possible Chinese willingness to aid and abet the Naga rebel movement, were the NSCN to renege on the ceasefire declared in 1997.

The top NSCN leadership has not pandered to such statements but they have insisted that the concept of "shared sovereignity" enshrined in the Framework Agreement must form the basis for a final settlement of the seven-decade old Naga imbroglio.

The NSCN insists on a separate flag and constitution for Nagaland that the Modi government is unwilling to concede.