Dimapur, June 26 (MExN): The Congress in Nagaland has stated that the “misleading” press statement of the Home Minister Imkong L Imchen and NPF Mokokchung division that appeared in local dailies on June 25 is nothing but “emotional outbursts and shedding the proverbial crocodile tears on Naga political issue”.
The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) said that it was the Home Minister himself and not the Congress that brought out the criminal side of the UGs. Earlier, he had not classified the UG cadres arrested under NSA but stated in general that the cadres of factions in ceasefire with the GoI and arrested under NSA should be treated as political prisoners and not as criminal prisoners, it pointed out. “Now, he is talking sense by stating that law will take its own course of action on cadres involved in criminal activities,” stated Nillo Rengma, NPCC vice president, in a press note received here.
The NPCC stated that the fact remains that “criminals are criminals whether they belong to UGs or ordinary citizens and irrespective of whether the crimes were committed during ceasefire or no ceasefire. Ceasefire ground rules do not give license to anybody to commit crime(s).” The Committee, therefore, demanded that the Home Minister should clarify whether the activists arrested under NSA for committing crime not related to the Naga political cause should be treated as political prisoners. “That an activist arrested under NSA for committing crimes should not be equated with ordinary citizen is to demean the ordinary citizen and give license to activists to commit crimes at will on the excuse of having ceasefire with the GoI. It is also tantamount to giving license to violate cease-fire ground rules,” the statement added.
The NPCC also demanded a clarification while questioning, “Where does the question of booking cadres under NSA arise during ceasefire between two warring groups unless it is for some other crimes? Ceasefire means the contending parties have ceased all hostilities against each other and engaged in peaceful negotiation. If ceasefire ground rules were not violated why arrests were made? If the crimes were not so grave as to threaten internal security of the Nation why book under NSA?” It further stated that the NPCC had never questioned the sacrifices of the leaders or ignored them. The Home Minster’s attempt to draw the sympathy of the UGs by diverting the issue does not make him more loving for Naga Nationalism, it stated, adding that the issue in question raised by NPCC was the provisions of NSA and its application in given situation.
Further, the NPCC also stated that the attempt of the NPF Mokokchung division to brand and project the Congress party in Nagaland as “anti-Naga political party” was a futile exercise. The people of Nagaland are politically mature and will not be carried away by the rhetoric of NPF which is desperately trying to project itself as the champion of the Naga cause. As far as the solution to Naga political problem is concerned the NPF party has not moved the issue an inch ahead of the Congress, the release stated.
On the NPF Mokokchung division’s statement that the NPF stood for Naga Nationalism, the NPCC stated that the NPF Nagaland should clarify whether that holds true for NPF as a political party within the Constitution of India. “The NPF Mokokchung Division’s appeal to all Naga Nationalists to come out openly in condemning the NPCC statement only exposed its veiled threat taking on the name of the nationalists. That was what they did even during the last two General Elections and by-election,” NPCC added.
