Tokheho Yepthomi. (Morung File Photo)
Dimapur, February 14 (MExN): Nagaland 's lone Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha), Tokheho Yepthomi in a rejoinder to the Naga People’s Front (NPF) said that all Naga citizens are equally responsible in the interest of Nagas and Nagaland. “No party or individual should write or speak as if he/she is the only person or representative for all Nagas.”
Tokheho said that the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) was introduced in the house in 2016, but it was referred back to the Select Committee, where all members of Parliament across party lines, are members including two Congress MPs from Assam.
CAB was introduced in the Lower House only on January 7, passed by voice vote, said Tokheho and as per records available, there was no division of vote, for and against the bill. Tokheho retorted that with “no important business listed, and especially nothing pertaining to Nagaland,” he scheduled engagement in Zunheboto and Aghunato from January 4 – 8.
The lone Lok Sabha MP agreed that he “represent all Nagas in the Lower House,” and he was “thankful to God and the people for the opportunity.” However, the “statement that my election as MP was gifted to me is an insult to the process of democracy and mandate of the people,” Tokheho maintained, saying that he was not elected to the lower house with the vote of NPF and its spokesperson.
Also admitting that he lost the last general election in his sixth election, on the contrary, Tokheho said he was elected in five consecutive general elections from 1993 to 2013.
Stating that he had no comment about the “NPF spokesperson who has not even won a civic election,” Tokheho said “that maybe the reason why he thinks that losing an election needs to be compensated for.”
Slamming the NPF, he said that the party should consider checking the “attendance records of all MPs and see for themselves as to who was loitering.”
Further stating that the NPF party tried alliance with BJP till January 21, 2018 before the last general elections where BJP refused, but even after refusal Tokheho said that in the midst of general elections, their leader stated on February 14, 2018 that their alliance with BJP was still intact. “It was for the Naga people to decide about the ideology of the party that takes pride in being the oldest regional party that was in alliance with the BJP for decades and suddenly had an epiphany about protecting Christianity” after BJP’s refusal.
Tokheho meanwhile, suggested that NPCC President should clarify as to how the CAB was passed by voice vote in the lower house, “when his party is at the forefront of the so-called Mahagathbandhan.”
