Morung Express News
Dimapur | January 30
Even as the Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) mediated between the State Government and the Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) at the NAPTC on January 30 at Chumukedima, uncertainty prevailed on the streets. Earlier, the situation appeared to be headed for a major showdown on February 1.
As on January 28, volunteers manned all major intersections within town including an almost deserted Deputy Commissioner’s office. On the NH-29 stretch, barricades were set up at Purana Bazar traffic point, Airport intersection, 3rd Mile-Chekiye, Green Park, Sovima and the entrance to the NAPTC, Chumukedima.
At Chumukedima, four police vehicles reportedly coming from Police HQs, Kohima, to the Dimapur Police Commissionerate, were forced to turn back.
Apart from para military, army, police, media and some emergency medical cases, no vehicles were allowed to ply. Some outbound passengers, including students, were seen walking all the way from town to the airport towing luggage.
At some intersections, volunteers were polite to media persons covering the bandh and offered drinking water, while there were isolated instances of verbal threats for limiting video/photographic coverage of the day’s happenings. The CBI publishing a ‘Lookout Notice’ today in the newspapers for absconders linked to the March 5, 2015 incident, raised apprehension among volunteers.
The highly agitated volunteers were determined to thwart any ULB elections related activity. Work was paralysed at the DC’s office while information flew fast to disrupt any semblance of official government process.
This was exemplified around noon when volunteers, reportedly growing to a 200 strong, converged at the Circuit House after a report was circulated of officials preparing poll related paperwork. Police personnel, including high ranking officers, who rushed to contain the situation, were initially prevented from entering the premises but were let in after much pacification.
A car driven by a Dobashi was halted at the entrance and checked. Copies of E-Roll and stationery was discovered, which the volunteers confiscated and promptly put to flames on the road as police personnel looked on.
The over two hour long standoff ended with the crowd eventually dispersing after finding no incriminating evidence to substantiate the report which circulated.
A police official said district administration officials were at the Circuit House for lunch. No major untoward incidents were reported apart from this.
We will start dialogue soon, JCC informs
With the situation clearly out of hand, a meeting mediated by the NBCC brought a surprise outcome – the State government and the JCC found middle ground to open room for dialogue.
The JCC announced in the evening that the indefinite bandh has been suspended. JCC Convenor Supu Jamir said that the primary demand of the JCC was to postpone the ULB elections scheduled on February 1.
The Government, in principle, relented to deferment of polls “having seen the volatile situation on the ground.” However, according to Jamir, the Government maintained that the onus is with the State Election Commission to decide on the duration of the deferment. “We’re happy the government has suspended the elections. We’ll start dialogue soon.”
Stating that the State Government was urged to open dialogue soon with regard to the Nagaland Municipal Act, Jamir added that the JCC on its part will also work for having consultations with the people.
Many questions though remain unanswered - one in particular, as was stated in the joint statement, about the holding of elections (with 33 percent women reservation) after the 2-month period ends. Asked on this, Jamir categorically stated that this aspect will be subject to the outcome of the proposed consultations.
