Dimapur, March 19 (MExN): Responding to the charge alleging that changes in the delimitation draft paper was made by him, Home Minister Thenucho in a statement today washed his hands of any such involvement as alleged by MLA Therie, who yesterday leveled the charge.
“The fact of the matter is very simple and the truth is also very clear. The issue of delimitation was not raised by the Nagaland Government nor by the DAN government, least of all by me” Thenucho, who is also Minister In-Charge for election, stated. He informed that the Government of India had declared it even before the census of 2001. However, he stated, when it was found that the census figures were not acceptable having many discrepancies, various state governments starting with the Congress government followed by the DAN government took the stand that delimitation as per the 2001 census may seriously jeopardize the whole state.
Therefore, it was decided to approach the Election Commission to maintain status quo. Resolutions to this effect have also been taken by the Nagaland Legislative Assembly, he informed.
Also, as part of the government, he is bound to abide by the collective decision of both the government and the State Legislative Assembly, he stated. “I, therefore, never initiated any proposals on my own and the official has been explained very clearly by Shri. TN Mannen, the nominee of the state government to the commission. The fellow Associated Members are also very clear on this. I Therefore challenge Shri K Therie, MLA to produce evidence which he claims to possess” Thenucho asserted.
Thenucho affirmed that that neither he nor any of the Associated Members have submitted any papers for delimitation as has been alleged by the MLA.
