Dimapur, Nov 12 (MExN): The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) today strongly reacted to the statement of Sate Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio who had dismissed the Congress party’s demand for President’s Rule in the state.
Reasserting the Congress party’s old stand that factional clashes comes under the preview of law and order problem, the NPCC in a press rejoinder issued by its President Hokheto Sumi stated that factional clashes is a law and order problem when the innocent peoples lives are put at stake and added that it was the State government’s responsibility to maintain law and order in the State. The Government cannot simply term factional clashes to be a “political problem” and shift its responsibility to the Central Government, Sumi stated.
Implying a failure of the policy of equi-closeness, the Congress chief sarcastically pointed out that the government’s policy of equi-closeness has brought the two factions so close to each other that they are now fighting in the heavily populated areas of the towns.
Cementing their claim on the law and order issue, the release stated that the public anger which greeted the Home Minister and his entourage during their visit to Zunheboto after the NSCN gun battle showed the public desperation at the government for their failure to provide security to the people.
Also coming out strongly against the Chief Minister’s alleged statement that deployment of forces to tackle the Zunheboto situation would be misuse of power, the release stated that Rio’s attitude of running the state of affairs is against the principle of a welfare state and blasted the Chief Minister’s alleged remark that the government could diffuse the Zunheboto problem with the help of civil societies. Hokheto pointed out that the Zunheboto public took great risk to chase the NSCN factions from the area.
In the light of all this, the release also made mention of the DAN government’s pre-election promises of finding a solution to the vexed Naga political problem within three months if voted to power. The Congress President stated that the DAN government is now facing complete law and order breakdown after they took over the Government in the State. The frequent factional clashes is causing so much untold miseries and suffering to the innocent people where the DAN Government is terming it to be a “political problem” and “not Law and Order problem”, added Hoketo.
The NPCC President also lambasted the Chief Ministers alleged statement that the situation in other states is far worse than Nagaland adding that this showed the immaturity of the Chief Minister. Taking note of the government sending rice and money to affected areas, the release questioned how money and rice can play a positive role in diffusing the situation in the affected areas.
Making a clarification on why the Congress party did not join the Joint Legislator’s Consultative Committee for Peace (JLCCP), Hokheto stated that the Congress party first wanted to know the modalities for formation of the JLCCP, but still the DAN Government remained silent on the issue and yet Rio is alleging the Congress Party for not joining the JLCCP, he added.
Taking a dig at Rio’s claim about the regional parties being the best platform to highlight and focus on the identity of the Nagas, the release stated that the NPF leaders are not working as a team. Alleging some difference of opinion in the NPF party, Hokheto alleged that when it comes to factional clashes, the Chief Minister is appealing to the underground factions not to fight, while on the other hand the NPF President Dr. Shürhozelie is saying the underground factions go out to do anything they want and speak anything they like. “The top rankings in the NPF seem to have different views on the underground factions, and as such, the regional party like NPF may not serve the right platform to highlight the “Naga identity”, added the Congress President.
Further the NPCC also demanded Rio to substantiate his allegations that “the two NSCN factions and Congress are hatching a plot against the DAN Government” and take proper action against the alleged parties.
