DIMAPUR, NOV 13 (MExN): State Education Minister Imkong L Imchen while defending the government’s position on the Naga political issue expressed unhappiness on the callous attitude of the Indian bureaucracy pointing out that the Naga issue had been stretched for over 60 years demonstrating clearly that, the government was interested only in ‘talking’ but not in bringing about a ‘settlement’, and having little concern about the loss of human lives.
While clearly blaming the bureaucratic establishment in New Delhi, Imchen also used the occasion to hit out at the Nagaland Congress pointing out that the recent outcry over the law and order and political situation are deliberate attempts to mislead the people so as to dismiss the DAN government and impose President’s Rule in the State. “There is no other reason or excuse for them in this regard. They want bureaucracy but not democracy”, Imchen stated in a press communiqué received here. “They cannot wait even for 5 years of people’s mandated DAN Ministry and remain as dignified opposition”, Imchen stated.
Continuing the war of words with the Opposition Congress on whether factional fighting is a law and order or political problem, Imchen refuted the statement that factional feuds are a state law and order problem. Imchen said that even in the last Congress regimes there had been continuous factional fights and killings, but it was never viewed as law and order problem of the state. If NPCC opines that the Naga freedom movement is only a mere state law and order problem, then they should come out openly negating even the declaration of the then Prime Minister Lt PV Narasimha Rao in 1996 at Dimapur, who said that the Naga issue is political and has to be politically solved, Imchen told the Congress.
He also said that for the last several years all the organizations and concerned individuals have been appealing to all Naga underground groups to stop fighting and killings and have put sincere efforts forunity, but till today it is unfortunate that there is no positive response from them.
“According to me political parties in the state should set aside their inherent differences and come together at least in this vital issue and put efforts to find a common ground so that, this political issue is put into better shape”, Imchen said. The Minister also went on to state that because of the state political parties engaging in mudslinging, the Naga issue was aggravated and today it is ‘difficult to find its beginning.’
Above all, Imchen said that it is the ‘blistering’ everyday media war amongst the different groups, which he termed as another foolishness, adding that this specter of rivalry in media should be restrained immediately and better channels of communication be devised.
