DIMAPUR, APRIL 19 (MExN): The Nagaland Congress (NLC) today issued a statement in response to the Indigenous Minority Tribes of Nagaland (IMTN) pertaining to appointments in the Nagaland State Police Department.
The NLC acknowledged that the “contribution, participation and sacrifice rendered by member tribes of IMTN towards the cause of Naga movement and formation of statehood is unquestionable and on this matter they stand on same footing with Naga brethren in the state as much today as it was yesterday.”
While acknowledging “these years tested partnership,” the NLC however stated that on the current issue of police appointment, the IMTN has “over reacted to the use of the word non locals which is used only as general indicator to show how appointments were given to the non locals, the others and the Nagas respectively.”
“It must be admitted that there are non-locals who are non-tribal non-Naga; secondly there are non-Naga who are locals; thirdly there are non-local Naga and finally the local Naga. The problem here is that non locals are given excessive appointment, the voice of others is least heard and the voice of local Naga is unheard,” the NLC claimed.
The NLC also refuted allegations that it is “distorting facts and history to gain cheap political mileage for their political goals while attacking the present government’ is potentially reactive and purely political.” The party, it affirmed, is not disputing the indigenous status of IMTN and as stated earlier that is not the issue here.
“If IMTN feels that alarming appointment of non locals and under/unqualified candidates is a cheap political mileage and does not merit questioning the present government, the matter is then best left to the citizens to judge whether NLC is politicising the issue or IMTN is emerging as the mouthpiece of the government,” it stated.
It meanwhile said that “building up a non issue to cover a burning issue is cheap politics.” The NLC stated that “just as IMTN is felt threatened by sense of discrimination & alienation, there are likewise tribes of educated unemployed, backward, discriminated & alienated everywhere in the state.”
Instead of pulling down each other, in order to rise up we should rather join hands to undo what is wrong and rebuild the system, leadership and governance, it appealed.
