Morung Express News
Dimapur | February 10
Even as the 3-day deadline given by the Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) and the Nagaland Tribes Action Committee (NTAC) for the Nagaland Chief Minister to resign from his chair on “moral grounds” expired at 12 midnight of February 10, the Nagaland Chief Minister showed no signs of giving in to the demands of the civil societies and tribe organizations.
The deadlock between the DAN-led State Government and the civil societies and tribal organizations seem to be heading for a face-off as neither party have given any signs of moving from their original positions.
The NTAC and the JCC had cautioned, “Once the deadline is over, what action we will take is definitely going to be something drastic-” for one indicating the imposition of complete bandh throughout the state.
‘The question of the CM resigning does not arise’
On Friday evening, a meeting of the Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) Legislature Party had held an emergency meeting at the State Banquet Hall, Kohima, attended by 53 Legislators including the NLA Speaker.
However, at the meeting there was no discussion on whether the Chief Minister should resign or not, a source from the Chief Minister’s Office told The Morung Express. The question of the CM resigning from his post does not arise, the CMO source said late Friday night. The Chief Minister is also learnt to have met the Nagaland Governor PB Acharya to discuss on the ongoing imbroglio arising out of the ULB election. Details of the meeting, however, could not be obtained.
DAN Legislature Party appeals for a dialogue
The Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) Legislature Party held an emergency meeting this evening at the State Banquet Hall, Kohima, and resolved to appeal to the agitating groups to lift the indefinite bandh, and take up the offer for dialogue being extended by the State Government in the true spirit of democratic practices so as to bring about amicable resolution.
A press note from the Nagaland CMO informed that the meeting came to the conclusion that the ULB election “is over with the entire process having been declared null and void, and that the stage now is set for dialogue and negotiations on the future course of action to be taken in this regard.”
The meeting, the CMO informed, was attended by 53 Legislators including the NLA Speaker. Chairman of the DAN and President of the NPF party, Dr Shurhozelie Liezietsu; Vice Chairman of DAN and President of the BJP Nagaland Visasolie Lhoungu, and MP (Rajya Sabha) KG Kenye attended the meeting as special invitees.
JCC says total bandh from Monday
The JCC meanwhile called upon the people to be “prepared for any eventuality” in the event the Chief Minister fails to fulfil the demand to step down. As the February 10 midnight deadline approached, the JCC at a media briefing stated that “total bandh” will be enforced from February 13 if the CM fails to meet the deadline.
JCC convenor, Supu Jamir said that the NTAC/JCC team made it clear to the Governor that the consequences will be very severe. As per Jamir, the Governor assured the team that he will try to meet the CM later in the evening and “try to do the needful.”
The Governor was quoted as stating that the state government had missed a “golden opportunity” by not taking forward the January 30 agreement. “The Governor opined that it was golden opportunity for the state government to have acted on the 30th January agreement.”
The JCC further termed as “absurd and a blatant lie” the Home Minister’s statement with regard to the January 30 agreement. Alleging the state government, including the HM of “twisting” the contents of the agreement, the JCC said, “It is made clear that in the said discussion (January 30 meeting), the CM had clearly stated the postponement of the ULB elections will be done with immediate effect. But with regard to the duration (of postponement), the HM and the CM stated that it will be subject to the decision of the Cabinet and the State Election Commission.”
The JCC maintained that it at no point of the meeting agreed to hold elections with 33 percent reservation rather the JCC called for postponing the elections state-wide to make way for holding dialogue with the tribe bodies with regard to women reservation. “The Home Minister’s statement that the JCC agreed to holding of elections with 33 percent reservation is nothing less than his wild imagination with a view to misguide the public.”
As to the HM urging “non-stakeholders not to mislead… worsen the misunderstanding…” the JCC asked the HM to point out the “non-stakeholders,” while maintaining that it has the endorsement of the tribe hohos.
“The agreement was signed with a view to avoid bloodshed but the state government violated it; as a result three innocent lives were lost and several more wounded. Therefore the said agreement stands nullified and cancelled.” Furthermore, the JCC stated that the state government has nullified the ULB elections and thus “There is absolutely no scope to review the dead agreement of 30th January.”
Complete breakdown of constitutional machinery in the state: NTAC to Governor
The JCC and the NTAC met the Governor of Nagaland PB Acharya at 3:45 pm on February 10 at the Raj Bhavan. They submitted a memorandum to the Governor, wherein the latter was reminded that his assurance to punish the wrong doers as per the Constitution has “not been carried out so far in spite of the fact that the Chief Minister TR Zeliang had admitted his wrong deeds and apologised on behalf of the government.” The memo said that there is “complete breakdown of Constitutional Machinery in the state.” It stated that the Nagaland CM is “adamant and refusing to listen to the voice of the people to step down from the seat of the Chief Minister of Nagaland.” It urged the Governor to intervene and to take immediate action as assured earlier.
The NTAC meanwhile speaking to the media informed that the Governor understanding their demands maintained that who has done wrong must be punished. Paraphrasing the Governor’s response in the meeting, the NTAC said, “But there is also a conscience that even an individual who knows that s/he has done wrong, their conscience must speak to them. And they’re supposed to take action.”
Dr P Ngully, spokesperson of NTAC said: “We expect a leader that too the Chief Minister of a state to have certain virtues of a human being and here he has not valued human lives. He must step down on the basis of morality. In any eventuality, if he does not step down within the stipulated time the Governor as the Head of the State and the CM as the Head of government, they will be solely responsible for any eventualities.”
The NTAC further cautioned that “once the deadline is over, what action we will take is definitely going to be something drastic. Let us hope for something positive to come out.”
