The growing interference of National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Issac-Muivah) in the political affairs of Arunachal Pradesh and their attempt to topple chief minister Jarbom Gamlin government has become a major area of concern for the security agencies in the state.
Disclosing that at least five Congress legislators are compelled to desert Mr Gamlin by Naga rebels, authoritative security sources told this newspaper that coal mafias involved in rampant illegal mining in the state are alleged to have been instigating the Naga rebels to topple the Gamlin government.
If insiders are to be believed, 19 MLAs are genuinely opposed to Mr Gamlin but another five, who shifted their loyalty from Mr Gamlin, are said to have been under the pressure of NSCN (I-M). The Congress insiders said that at least 24 legislators, including some ministers, have formally approached the party high command, demanding a change in leadership. The Congress has 42 legislators in the 60-member House.
Regretting that rampant mining of coal in Kharsang area of Changlang district is the prime source of money that has been feeding Naga rebels besides controlling the politics of frontier state, security sources said that NSCN (I-M) continues to maintain its domination on Tirap and Changlang districts of the frontier states.
The NSCN (I-M), which is said to have been pursuing the agenda of coal mafias, had come to focus first during former Arunachal CM Mukut Mithi’s regime as then CM of Arunachal Gegong Apang accused Naga rebels of toppling his government.
The sources are of view that frequent intrusion of NSCN (I-M) rebels into political affairs of the state is also a threat to the national security with growing interest of China in the northeastern states. Union home minister P. Chidambaram, who visited Tirap and Changlang districts in 2010, had announced to launch an Army operation to flush out Naga rebels from Arunachal districts bordering Burma but it never started.