The Arunachal Chief Minister claims that the decision to launch the operation was taken with full knowledge of the Centre. North East News Agency

ARUNACHAL Pradesh Chief Minister Mukut Mithi categorically stated that the State would never compromise with its territorial integrity and not an inch of its land would be parted under any circumstances. He further declared that there is no Naga in Arunachal Pradesh and the question of integration of State’s Tirap and Changland district with Nagaland didn’t arise. “We have nothing to do with the demand of greater Nagaland and would never be a party in any kind of negotiation with factions of NSCN”, he said.

Informing that the State Legislative Assembly had adopted a strong resolution in September last year not to compromise with territorial integrity of Arunachal Pradesh, the Chief Minister expressed surprise over the visit of Union Minister of State for Home Swami Chinmayananda to Khonsa, headquarter of Tirap district on July 11 last and his remarks at a public rally questioning the urgency of “Operation Hurricane” to flush out the NSCN militants from Tirap and Changlang districts.

Angry with this latest development, Mithi asked whether “the Centre wanted that part of Arunachal be ruled by NSCN ultras who had been engaged in intimidation, abduction, extortion and murder of innocent people in the area and the State Government to remain a silent spectator”? The state security coordination committee headed by Chief Secretary and having members from the army, central government and representatives from the intelligence department planned the operation, he said.

Mr. Mithi revealed that the decision to launch the operation was taken with full knowledge of the Centre and assurance that one battalion of CRPF would be sent to make the operation a success. But all of a sudden, the Centre took a ‘U’ turn and did not despatch the forces at the last moment, The Arunachal Chief Minister alleged.

Claiming that the Union Minister had no right to question the importance of the operation since the law and order was a state subject, Mr. Mithi felt that the Centre had to respond positively to the needs of the State. The Chief Minister informed that he had held several rounds of talks with Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and national security advisor about the deteriorating situation in State’s Tirap and Changlang districts. Unfortunately the Union Minister of State for Home Swami Chinmayananda could not gauge the seriousness of the situation as he was perhaps misinformed by some vested interest, he said.

COMPLAINS TO PM

Mithi has taken his case to the Prime Minister.

In a letter, the Chief Minister told him that the State Government’s drive was at the behest of the Home Ministry, which had sent specific written orders. ‘All operational decisions were taken by a coordinating group constituted by the Home Ministry and comprising all relevant Central agencies. No Central agency had ever objected to any operational decision. Nor had the Home Ministry in any way amended the mandate given to us. Yet the MOS’s reported statement, if correct, leaves unexplained why the minister was undermining his own ministry”, he wrote. “If reported correctly the

MoS appeared to be advising the State Government that no action should be taken against extortion, terror, murder and other crimes. Being the Minister of State for Home, he needs no reminder that the Home Ministry’s order was issued when negotiations with NSCN were already underway and pendency of negotiations is no licence to extort or kill,” Mithi pointed out.

|  Headlines  |  Editorial   | From Other Publications  |
|  Travel Column   |   News Briefs  |
| OT Main Page | Nena  Home Page  |