Dimapur, May 2 (MExN): The Nagaland Congress continuing its attack on Chief Minister Nephiu Rio has accused the latter of making flip-flop statements. “Sometimes he (Rio) talked of interim agreement and economic sovereignty; at other times he talks of integration for final settlement. During his recent election campaigns, he talked more like a rebel leader than the head of the State.” SI Jamir MLA and spokesman of the INC Nagaland stated. “For the past six years he had kept the Naga people in the dark by his oft-repeated statement that the talk was going in the right direction. Now, he admits that the Nagas are at cross roads.”
The Congress said that Rio admitting the Nagas to be at crossroads is a “complete failure” of the NPF led DAN govt.
“This helpless expression further explained that he has no suggestions to be made but is trying to blame thirteen years old negotiation. DAN’s common minimum program proclaimed to secure a negotiated settlement of Indo-Naga political issue. But he betrayed the mandate of the people and shifted its policy to mere support and facilitate.”
SI Jamir not amused at the accusations leveled by NPF that INC has not been able to bring a solution to the Naga problem during its twenty years rule shot back asking, “Has the NPF brought solution? What happened to its election promise in 2003 to bring about solution within three months of assuming power?”
The Congress said that the “tall talk” of DAN on solving Naga political problem “has not gone beyond Kohima”. It said the DAN should stop living “in fool’s paradise” by projecting itself as the champion of the Naga political issue.
If DAN wins the just concluded polls, SI Jamir said, that “DAN’s victory, if so, would be the victory of gun and money power and polygamy”.
“The only vision one can see in Rio is shamelessly corrupting public funds meant for developments to buy support, built palatial buildings, buy immeasurable land, fleets of Bolero vehicle for inducement and indulge in the dirty game of cash for MLAs.”
Rio is also accused by the Congress of weakening the “position of the Nagas” by “involving the armed gang in every election”. “Some of the national workers who had shown keen interest in Indian elections by their continuous involvement are best advised to participate as civil citizens and not as gun-totting trigger happy armed gangs,” the Congress stated
Dismissing the statement made by NPF party president the Congress told Dr. Surhozelie to talk on issues of substance instead of raising “non-issues unbecoming of his stature and age”. “He should not try to divert the attention of the public from the core issue raised by Congress to which, Rio is answerable.”
Contrary to what Dr. Surhozelie alleged, the Congress stated that it alone had consistently shown political vision and direction to the Nagas and that DAN is today enjoying the ‘fruit of that reality’.
Congress stated that, “The consistent stand of the Congress in Nagaland has been that, the final settlement is yet to be resolved. Neiphiu Rio or NPF for that matter has been talking about emotional integration only, pending what they called territorial integration. Nagas had never been emotionally detached despite the arbitrary territorial separation.” Congress wondered as to why Rio is “projecting the Nagas to the world as an emotionally divided people?”
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