Rise of Phizo and The Secessionist Ideology
In June 1947, Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru wrote to the Naga National Council (NNC) secretary, T. Sakhrie, saying that the Indian government is against the separate electorates, as they "limit and injure the small group by keeping it separated from rest of the nation."
The hardline NNC leader Angami Zapu Phizo separately met the Assamese, Garos, Khasis, Lushais, Mikirs, Abors, Mishmis and Meiteis leaders in an attempt to convince them to form independent countries of their own, instead of joining the Union of India. However, his efforts failed.
On July 19, an eleven-member Naga delegation led by A Z Phizo, Viselie, Khrehie and Seto met the Indian nationalist leader Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi at Delhi to discuss the issue of Naga autonomy. The NNC secretary T. Sakhrie had expressed fears in his letter to Gandhi that the Indian government might use military force to occupy the Naga territory by force. Gandhi assured the Naga delegation that he would go to Kohima, and he would be "the first to shot before any Naga is killed".
Read more about this topic: Naga National Council
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