Part 3: The Visit of British Cabinet Mission The British Government sent a Cabinet Mission to India to study the political situation in the country in April 1946. The Naga National Council, which was formed in March 1945 to voice the national sentiments of the Nagas,waited upon the British Cabinet Mission in New Delhi on April 9, 1946 and informed the cabinet Mission that the Naga future will not be bound by any arbitrary decision of the British Government, and that no recommendation will be accepted without consultation. The Naga National Council tried to make it clear that the Nagas would not accept any other kind of constitutional arrangement. Therefore the Nine (9)- Point Agreement was negotiated: The 9-Point Agreement: In June 1947, the Governor of Assam, Sir Akbar Hydari negotiated an agreement with the Naga National Council afresh in meeting on June 27, 28 and 29, 1947 in Kohima. This agreement came to be known as the nine-point Agreement. The Governor was acting on behalf of the Indian Constituent Assembly. Compromises on both sides produced the Agreement which gave increased administration authorities to the NNC. In a memorandum submitted to him, the Naga National Council stated, “A constitution drawn up by the people who have had no knowledge of the Naga Hills and the Naga people will be quite unsuitable and unacceptable to the Naga people. It is our desire to make it plain to your Excellency that it will not be enough to say in the end that the constitution has been drawn up on the lines suggested by the Cabinet Mission. “We know that Your Excellency will concede that the Naga people have as much right for self-determination as any other people. Our request to your Excellency is to do all that is in your power to enable the Nagas to stand on their own feet so that they may be worthy members in the civilized world.” “When a deputation of the Nagas very recently waited upon Your Excellency. Your Excellency was appraised of the demand of the Naga people for the restoration of their old boundary. The ancient boundary with the Ahom Kingdom previously observed by the Ahoms, has been overstepped throughout its length. All the valuable forests previously a part of the Naga Hills have been transfered to the Sibsagar and Nowgong District of Assam.” “In fairness, justice and equity Nagalim should be restored to the Nagas, for it is our great cry that Nagalim should be for the Nagas. We should urge Your Excellency to set up immediately a Boundary Commission to go into this very important question.” “The Naga National Council stands for the solidarity of all Naga tribes. The present Naga Hills District has arbitrarily been carved out for administrative convenience only. It is now our desire that Your Excellency take all steps to bring all the naga tribes together, for they all naturally desire to be together.”
Posted on: Wed, 14 Aug 2013 15:07:16 +0000
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