Dimapur, October 23 (MExN): The 33% women reservation is increasingly polarizing the Nagas into two – those supporting and those opposing.
Independent MLA, Thomas Ngullie, on Saturday voiced his opposition to the way in which the 33% women reservation was being promised for Municipal elections and termed the move a ‘gimmick for the masses’ by Nagaland Chief Minister TR Zeliang.
In a statement, the Independent MLA alleged that the commitment to reserve seats for women was a “unilateral declaration” from Zeliang who, Ngullie claimed, was “merely accepting the advice” of the Naga Mothers’ Association (NMA).
He expressed his fear that if the policy (of reservation) is implemented for a Municipal election, then “a time will come when Assembly election also will be affected.”
Highlighting Assembly records, Ngullie claimed that the ‘Select Committee’ headed by Zeliang, the then Minister of Planning AH&V and Parliamentary Affairs, had recommended to “reject the applicability of Part-IX(A) of the constitution of India”. Ngullie further claimed that the Select Committee recommended to the Nagaland Legislative Assembly to pass a resolution by the Assembly to frame its own laws for conduct of Municipal and Town Council Act in lieu of Part-IX(A) of the constitution. “The said recommendation was signed by T.R. Zeliang on 21.07.12,” it added.
“On the floor of the Assembly, the said resolution was moved by Dr. Shurhozelie who was then the Minister for Urban Development & Higher Education on 20.03.12 for suspension of the Municipal and Town Council Act 2001 and Part-IX (A) of the constitution of India. Accordingly, the Legislative Assembly adopted the resolution on 22nd September, 2012,” Ngullie stated.
In spite of such resolutions being on record, Zeliang’s statement to the press assuring the implementation of 33% women reservation in Nagaland “is nothing but only a gimmick”, Ngullie argued. Further citing Article 371(A), which states that no Act of the Indian Parliament is applicable in the state of Nagaland except by a resolution adopted in the State Assembly, Ngullie questioned how the Chief Minister or his Cabinet “can override the provision of the constitution and the privileges given to the people of Nagaland”.
Arguing that the act of the Chief Minister “portrays rejection of provisions granted by Art.371 (A) to the state of Nagaland,” Ngullie accused Zeliang of “misleading” the people of Nagaland “by giving false and impossible statements”, and insisted that the commitment to women reservation “is nothing but a mere show of his ignorance while trying to deceive the people.”
