Cong ridicules Home Minister
Our Correspondent
Kohima | July 20
The Opposition Congress today ridiculed Home Minister Imkong L. Imchen and the ruling DAN Government for the recent humiliation reportedly suffered by Imchen at Kathmandu in Nepal. He was reportedly ‘detained’ for carrying certain denominations of currency, banned in Nepal. The Congress leaders wore placards with slogans printed on them on the first day of the budget session of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly.
With the exception of senior leader and former Chief Minister KL Chishi, all the Opposition members sported the placards on which were printed slogans: ‘A Nepali citizen cannot be Nagaland Home Minister’, ‘A law-breaker cannot be our Home Minister’ and all. Some included demands for his resignation and that Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio don’t keep law-breakers in his ministry.
The Opposition members were mocking the Home Minister for his recent gaffe in Kathmandu when he was detained at the airport for illegal possession of Rs.500 denomination currency amounting to several lakhs. They were also mocking his alleged action in claiming to be a Nepali when questioned by the authorities.
A good forty minutes into Question Hour senior Minister Dr. Shurhozelie Liezietsu raised a Point of Order and pointed out that such show of protest in the assembly was against Assembly rules. Speaker Kiyaneilie Peseyie also requested the Opposition members to remove the placards and the Congress leaders obliged. The Opposition members argued that their wearing the placards was not disturbing the proceedings of the House but they finally relented – but not before Kheto Kinimi read out the slogans and demanded that the chief minister keep check of the activities of his ministers.
The incident also had the house in peels of laughter when the usually-somber and conformist Dr. Shurhozelie noted that MLA K.L Chishi was the only one not wearing the placard and commented “he is a good man.” Speaker Kiyaneilie also made remarked that since they had worn the placards for almost the entire question hour, they would not mind removing them for the remaining 20 minutes.
