Kahoto Zhimomi
Dimapur
I am deeply pained and anguished at the manner in which the NFHRCC chose to humiliate the Minister of Roads and Bridges, G Kaito Aye in the ongoing foothills road project. As a layman, it is understood that the Minister was simply sticking to the established Rules and procedures as no contractor is legally bound to sign any agreement/contract with any other entity/NGOs other than the Government from whom it has obtained contract works. By doing so, the contractor will become answerable to two separate entities which is impractical.
The Foothill Road project was initially started with the noble intent of providing free, secure and unhindered passage to the Naga peoples as travellers were constantly harassed while passing through Assam for which the people wholeheartedly supported the NFHRCC with good intentions. But the present leaders of NFHRCC seem to have hijacked the noble cause to fulfill some of their hidden interests and agendas. The Minister of Roads and Bridges is 100% right in his statement when he asserted that the contractor is answerable only to the Government with whom it has signed the Contract and no other authority/NGOs.
As a concerned citizen, I am suspicious of the activities of NFHRCC when they chose to humiliate a very senior leader who has been elected by our people seven times to represent us in the Nagaland State Legislative Assembly. By humiliating him, the NFHRCC has particularly humiliated the whole constituency he represents (36 A/C) and the entire Nagas in general. According to the established norms, any NGOs can play the role of Pressure Group to ensure that the developmental projects in its jurisdiction are carried out as per the specification. But, the demand for executing an agreement with an NGOs before carrying out developmental contract works which was awarded by the Government is outside the purview of the rules and procedures and the NFHRCC seems to be harbouring some evil intent.
According to my understanding, apex tribal organisations such as Sumi Hoho, Western Sümi Hoho and others should abrogate its association with NFHRCC as its present leaders seems to have swerved away from its original purpose and agendas which has been diluted halfway. Why should we continue to be associated with any organisation which chose to humiliate our leader unabashedly. According to my opinion, the so called NFHRCC should be disbanded and the onus of playing the role of Pressure Group to ensure quality work should be delegated to all the tribal hohos in their own jurisdiction. It is high time that the Nagas have a lifeline connecting the length and breadth of the state, but vilification of a respected public figure at the altar of development is utterly condemnable and unacceptable.
