Morung Express News
Dimapur | November 18
The Nagaland Government, on Friday, brokered a temporary respite from the agitating public after giving ‘gentlemanly assurance’ to the charter of demands submitted by the Public Coordination Committee (PCC), which spearheaded the sit-in protest.
The 3-day sit-in protest was “temporarily suspended” in response to the “gentlemanly assurance” given by the Chief Minister and his cabinet colleagues during their meetings on November 17, stated PCC in a press release through its Media Cell. Two rounds of meetings were held at the CM’s residence on Friday.
The Against Corruption and Unabated Taxation (ACAUT) Nagaland and the Public Service Aspirants of Nagaland (PSAN) under the banner of PCC had called the sit-in protest at the New Secretariat Complex, Kohima from November 15.
“Corruption is a disease that affects the future and our lives…It is imperative that there should be checks and balances in the system,” one of the leaders had stated on the first day.
Among others, it include assurance to initiate the process of setting up Lokayukta by inviting the PCC for a meeting on November 20, 2017 for further consultation with the Standing Committee and introduction of the Lokayukta Bill in the upcoming winter assembly session on December 14, it said.
The CM also assured that the Cabinet will sit within this month’s time to take a decision regarding revocation of October 26, 2017 Office Memorandum (OM), which removed Class-III posts from the purview of NPSC after further consultation with the PCC, it added.
In reply, the PCC also demanded that the CM to “keep the 26th Oct. OM in abeyance” as some departments have already started advertising Grade-III posts, outside the purview of NPSC.
The PCC further reiterated that until the October 26 OM is revoked, no department will be allowed to conduct departmental exams.
“In the event of any untoward incident, the PCC shall not be accountable,” the Committee told the CM and his colleagues.
Meanwhile, the PCC also informed that the meetings also deliberated on PCC’s other demands relating to Nagaland Public Service Commission (NPSC) examination such as reduction of interview marks from the current 75 to 50; setting maximum and minimum benchmarks in the interviews; and declaration of answer keys in all stages of its examinations.
Appointment of persons from IAS/IPS/NCS background as NPSC members and amendment of August 3, 1995 OM to pave way for the NPSC to declare waiting list, written and interview marks on the day of result declaration were also discussed.
“The stated points were firmly supported by the Cabinet ministers present in the meeting,” the PCC maintained.
Meanwhile, it also lauded the CM and his cabinet colleagues’ decision “to agree in principle on the negotiated terms to be materialized within the month of November 2017,” but asserted that the second phase of intensified agitation will begin if the state government reneged on the negotiated terms.
Stating that PCC has been mandated to ensure that the united voice of the Nagas against corruption reached its logical conclusion, it also appealed its units, partnering organizations and volunteers to wait for a positive outcome within the given timeframe.