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VHP criticise talks with Naga leaders

January 11, 2003 20:43 IST
By Anand Mohan Sahay

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad on Saturday has opposed the talks between the government of India and National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) leaders to resolve the Nagaland issue.

VHP international vice-president Giriraj Kishore said the talks would encourage extremist groups within and outside India.

Kishore was of the opinion that the Naga leaders, coming to India for talks after a gap of 34 years, should not be given much importance.

He said the dialogues would have been 'successful' if the Naga leaders had been living in India.

Meanwhile, Communist Party of India general secretary A B Bardhan accused the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance government of complicating the matters in the Northeast by preparing to concede to the demands of the rebel Naga leaders.

"While we welcome the talks [between the NSCN I-M and the government], the Centre should be wary of the demand [for greater Nagaland] as it means the integration of five states," he told reporters.

He recalled that when the BJP government took the initiative to have talks with the NSCN (I-M), a 15-day bandh was observed in Manipur.

He wondered how a government that had failed to settle the problem in Jammu & Kashmir, could sort out the insurgency problem in the Northeast. 

The Naga leaders, who arrived in New Delhi on January 9, had earlier met Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and his deputy Lal Kishenchand Advani.

With inputs from Syed Amin Jafri in Hyderabad

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