Dimapur, March 23 (MExN): The Joint Action Committee for Women Reservation (JAC) today expressed dismay that the government continues to show lack of Political Will as evidenced by the resolution passed by the Nagaland Legislative Assembly suspending municipal polls and referring the 33% Reservation of seats for women, and the Nagaland Municipal Act 2001 to a committee. The move has proved beyond any doubt that there is no Political Will to empower women in the state, the committee stated in a press release received here today.
“Unwarranted delays in holding democratic elections with regard to municipalities and town councils had been scrutinized by the honorable court and the opinion of the honorable court has been made very clear in its detailed Judgment order dated 21st October 2011,” the committee, formed out of apex Naga women organizations, stated.
The statement of the chief minister in the Assembly that “members being representatives of the people and the aspirations, desires and the interests of the people have to be looked into” is highly biased and discriminatory, the committee stated. The women said the public opinion of the women organizations and their aspirations, desires and interests have been totally ignored.
“The Elected representatives of the people have completely failed in their duty to protect the rights of women as equal citizens in the state, through such a resolution.”
Further, the JAC noted the statement of the Minister for Urban Development in the assembly that “it is unfortunate that the Naga Women in their bid to grab political power came up with such a concept.” The statement itself is not only defamatory, but also proves his ignorance about the details of the court Judgment order as well as the Constitutional Rights of Women as equal citizens of the country, the JAC said of the minister’s comment.
In response the JAC stated: “The statement of the JACWR which has been contested by both the Minister, Urban Development and the chief minister is the observation made by the honorable Judge during the Court hearing as well as contained in the judgment order. The JACWR finds it highly questionable that seasoned leaders of the state are unaware of the proceedings and the judgment of the honorable court on this crucial issue of holding elections and implementation of reservation of seats for women.”
The Minister for Urban Development is also informed that the JACWR is not of the Naga Mothers’ Association alone but formed with representatives of apex women organizations in the state including the Eastern Naga Women Organization, Naga Women Hoho Dimapur, Watsu Mandung and the Tenyimi Women Organization.
“Successive consultations of Naga women leaders from all tribes and organizations brought women to the court so his accusations that a group of women dragged the government to court is misleading and false. The honorable High Court had made it very clear in its judgment order that ‘shortcomings of the act if any and awaiting for suggested remedial measures is too fragile a ground to postpone elections in the fact of the Constitutional requirements and the law laid down by the apex court’,” the JAC stated.
Naga women have struggled for their Constitutional Rights through legal justice, the committee stated, and are prepared for contesting in the elections for 19 Municipal and town councils. “We are also prepared for upholding our constitutional rights through the court, if need be, because justice will prevail,” the JAC added.
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