Two senior leaders of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim-Isak Muivah (NSCN-IM) have withdrawn remarks questioning former Nagaland chief minister SC Jamir’s authority to speak on the Naga political issue following a warning from the Ao Senden, the apex body of the Ao Naga tribe.
NSCN-IM Deputy Ato Kilonser V S Atem and Steering Committee member R H Raising issued a joint declaration on Tuesday, retracting comments they had made about Jamir on September 16.
“If our comments on September 16, 2026, on S C Jamir have hurt the sentiment of the Ao Senden, it was never meant to do so and therefore, we do retract it forthright,” the two leaders said in their joint statement.
The retraction came after the Ao Senden had given the two leaders 15 days to withdraw their remarks. The organisation had warned that it would be compelled to take its own course of action in the interest of the Nagas if the comments were not withdrawn within the stipulated period.
The controversy followed Jamir’s meeting with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat in New Delhi on September 10. During the meeting, Jamir urged Bhagwat to press the Centre for an early political settlement to the long-pending Naga political issue.
Days later, Atem questioned Jamir’s authority to speak on the issue and said the former chief minister was not an advocate of the Naga people.
The Ao Senden subsequently objected to the remarks and maintained that the Naga political issue cannot be treated as the exclusive domain of any individual, organisation or faction. It also said differences that have emerged during the decades-long political journey should not prevent individual Nagas from expressing their views on the issue.
The latest development has brought renewed attention to the question of who can speak on the Naga political issue, which has remained at the centre of political discussions in Nagaland for decades.
The NSCN-IM has been engaged in negotiations with the Centre since signing a ceasefire agreement in 1997. The two sides later signed the Framework Agreement in August 2015, but a final political settlement has remained elusive.
Several key demands of the NSCN-IM, including a separate Naga flag and constitution and the integration of Naga-inhabited areas, remain unresolved. These issues have continued to be part of the negotiations as the peace process enters another phase of prolonged discussions.
The retraction by Atem and Raising has now eased the immediate dispute with the Ao Senden, while the broader questions surrounding representation and the Naga political dialogue continue to remain significant.
