NPF Women Wing censures NDPP, Rio statements

Kohima, June 25 (MExN): The Naga People’s Front (NPF) Central Women Wing today expressed “shock and resentment” at the NDPP Media & Communications Committee statement “for branding Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu as a ‘liar’.”  

A press statement from Yanhola, Press Secretary, NPF Central Women Wing maintained that the allegation has “deeply hurt the sentiments of all its (NPF) party men and women alike.”  

Condemning the “blatant act of lie and deceit” from the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) against the NPF president, it further asserted, “Those who have sold the rights of the Nagas to outside forces has no right to call Dr. Shürhozelie a liar as the NPF president has only spoken on the values of freedom of religion as enshrined in the Indian constitution, and it does not in any way amount to giving inflammatory speeches that may incite riots or unrest in the state of Nagaland.”  

Further condemning Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio’s speech purportedly made in Delhi on live TV, the NPF Central Women Wing expressed “utter shock at the immature statement” of Rio and his PDA government’s stand on Naga integration issue and Citizenship Amendment Bill 2016.  

“Our Naga dream to live as one cannot be written off by indecisive leaders who are desperate to cling onto their chairs in their search for more power even at the cost of surrendering our birth right,” it maintained.  

The Women Wing stated even Assam and the other states in the North Eastern region have strongly opposed the Citizenship Amendment Bill 2016 because “they are well aware of the predicaments of this controversial bill.”  

Looking at the events in the other North Eastern States in the wake of the Citizenship Amendment Bill 2016, the NPF Women Wing statement said, “it is a big blow to the Nagas when the PDA government in its Cabinet Meeting decided not to oppose the bill, stating Article 371 A as a protective measure.”  

Recalling the Urban Local Body (ULB) fiasco where much hues and cries were staged over 33 percent women reservation, simply on the pretext that it infringes upon Article 371 A, the Women Wing asked the tribal hohos and the apex civil societies “not to become mute spectators when such a disastrous bill, which will have serious ramifications for our future generations is not being opposed but is welcomed by the present ruling PDA government.”

It also lamented that the present Naga leaders have lost their commitments and zeal to serve and safeguard the interest of the Nagas. “Nagaland is witnessing a massive flow of immigrants into our homeland,” it stated and urged the ruling government to undo the damages before any major catastrophic event takes place.