Mithi disclosed that, at that meeting in May, apart from the state Chief Secretary, who is the chairman ofthe Committee, and representatives of federal intelligence agencies, the Joint Secretary of the Ministry ofHome Affairs (Northeast), was also present. "Although the MHA official was himself present at thatmeeting, we intimated the Home Ministry of the decision to launch Operation Hurricane and sought threeparamilitary battalions for the purpose," the Chief Minister said. The Ministry of Home Affairs, Mithiadded, initially agreed in writing to send one battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) for aperiod of 45 days to carry out the operation, but later went back on its promise. Speaking to this writer forthe second time in a week on Saturday, Mithi said Operation Hurricane eventually could not be launched"due to New Delhi's non-cooperation."
It is clear that the Union Government is not in favor of any military offensive against the Naga rebels at thepresent juncture, since there is a ceasefire agreement in place and the Government of India is engaged in'peace negotiations' with the NSCN-IM, and to an extent with the rival NSCN-K. New Delhi's reasons for notcoming to Mithi's aid were let out by the visiting Minister of state for Home, Swami Chinmayananda, when hequestioned the Arunachal Pradesh Government's urgency in pushing for Operation Hurricane at a time when the centerwas engaged in a dialogue with 'both factions of the NSCN.' The Minister made these remarks on Friday at aBharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-sponsored public rally at Khonsa, in the militant-infested Tirap district.
But a peace process can hardly be legitimate grounds to obstruct action to expel or contain the criminalactivities of the NSCN in Arunachal Pradesh, and the center's attitude raises several serious questions. Witha ceasefire deal in place with the NSCN-IM, the Vajpayee Government should have been able to prevail upon theNaga rebel group to stop its cadres from operating in Arunachal Pradesh, and to prevent them from indulging inviolent activities there.