‘Extortion has got nothing to do with Naga political problem’

 NPF president Dr Shürhozelie Liezietsu defends Guv’s letter
 

Dimapur, July 5 (MExN):  President of the Naga People’s Front (NPF) Dr Shürhozelie Liezietsu on July 5 said that extortion has nothing to do with the Naga political problem and it is “purely a law and order subject.”

This was said by Dr Liezietsu in his observations on the Governor’s letter to the Chief Minister.

“Extortion has got nothing to do with Naga political problem. Extortion is purely a law and order subject. I hope no organization will support it. I do not mean to advise others but it will be good for record if we differentiate properly what is right and what is wrong. There is no justification for extortion and this is one main point in the Governor’s letter,” he stated.

Presenting his observations, Dr Liezietsu said that the Governor’s letter to the Chief Minister should not be a surprise to the people of Nagaland or to the Chief Minister because the Governor had urged the CM to contain law and order situation as early as August 23, 2019 and the State Government was reminded again on the gravity of the situation on November 14, 2019.

“But nothing has been done. Therefore, the Governor has regretted to say that his urging and advices have gone unheeded,” he added.

Referring to the attacks by some organizations for usage of the term ‘armed gangs’ in the Governor’s letter, Dr Liezietsu asked, “But why we ourselves are trying to interpret the phrase to let our national workers own it? Or why some underground groups come out to own that phrase by themselves? Let us not mix up the Naga political problem and the failures of the present PDA Government in Nagaland.”

Further, he said that the Governor has written the letter “dwelling on the failures of the present Government in Nagaland,” and “for the sake of the suffering public and not for his own gain or interest.”

Meanwhile, the NPF president said that the NPF Secretary General Achumbemo Kikon’s views while participating in the North East TV debate on June 30, made the party’s views very clear that the Nagaland Government or for that matter the Chief Minister should step down on moral grounds when law and order in the State has been declared collapsed by the Governor.

“We will go one more step further that this Government has failed in all fronts including management and the economy of the State. It may not be necessary for us to go into detail at the moment. But we will be prepared point by point if we are invited to do so,” Dr Liezietsu added.

He highlighted some recent statements issued by the Dimapur Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DCCI), Tsütoho Ghami Kuqhakulu Dimapur (TGKD), PAC etc as examples, “to understand the mood of the people of Nagaland,” and alleged that the State Government’s silence only revealed incapability, complacency or complicity with these elements.

“This is the condition of Dimapur traders. Dimapur is the commercial hub of Nagaland. Every town in Nagaland buys commodities wholesale from Dimapur and brings it home for retail sale. Therefore, when Dimapur price go up, it affects all other towns simultaneously. The public of Nagaland are indirectly paying those taxes through the Dimapur traders,” he said.

“But if any one claims that collection of tax is legal, I will not go further with single track minded argument. But taxes also may have different categories, one cannot just blindly say that all taxes are legal. How many sovereignty Naga people aimed at? People support ACUAT when they advocate “One Govt., one tax,” Shürhozelie stated.