Dimapur, May 8 (MExN): Congress MLA and spokesperson of the INC SI Jamir while responding to the statements of the NPF has questioned the fairness of the just concluded elections to the Lok Sabha and by-elections to the state assembly held on April 16 last. Jamir asserted that as far as the last election is concerned, all ‘the sensible people’ of Nagaland know that everything was not normal, but regretted that “only the self-righteous” DAN refused to see and admit this reality.
SI Jamir claimed that there were both “armed coups and civil coups” on April 16 polling day. Armed coup were carried out by “some members of the underground groups”, who Jamir said have conveniently become “the armed gang” of DAN.
“Who does not know the incidents in Kutur, Sotukur and Hakchang villages under 54 Tuensang Sadar II A/C, Purana Bazar and Dhansiripar under 3 Dimapur III A/C, Chobama and Porba villages under 17 Chizami A/C and at Athibung under 7 Tenning A/C?” Jamir further accused DAN of using “its armed gang” to coup polling booths in “interior Naga villages”.
“The DAN and its armed gangs were able to coup in interior Naga villages but they exposed their cowardice in the border village of Latigan under Tamlu A/C,” Jamir stated.
Accusing the village councils of being party to the civil coup of NPF led DAN; Jamir also expressed displeasure over family voting pattern and under age voting.
“Civil coups occurred in many villages wherein the village councils became the agents of the NPF-led DAN. They captured the polling booths. The fundamental right on adult franchise was hijacked by family-head and under-age voting trend since DAN assumed power.”
In the past, Jamir asserted, village councils adopting election resolutions to support one particular candidate was unheard of. But today, “Rio and his sycophants have set a dirty precedence”. Jamir accused the NPF and its allies of destroying ‘the democratic village polity’.
Jamir also questioned the “abnormal” high percentage voter turn out of more than 90% (the highest in the country) saying that this “is proof that something was wrong”.
Jamir also queried the authenticity of the “so called” Political Affairs Committee (PAC) which Jamir alleged was a DAN committee “exclusive of the Congress”. “When the Congress was not consulted at the time of constituting the committee and none of its leaders included as member(s) the question of attending PAC meetings does not arise. The PAC meetings were for members only and the Congress has no compulsion to attend DAN sponsored meetings as invitee.”
Jamir accused the NPF of double speak with regard to DAN’s stand in any event of an “interim agreement” on the Naga political issue. Apong from the NPF had earlier clarified that chief minister Rio had at no point of time talked of an ‘interim agreement’. Jamir expressed surprise that Apong had in the same clarification gone on to mention “in the event of any interim agreement…”.Jamir asserted that this double-talk “nakedly exposed” that the NPF-led DAN was “playing its active facilitator’s role” with the negotiating parties to bring about an interim agreement.
Questioning the flip flop statements of DAN, Jamir said that ‘Neiphiu Rio and his NPF-led DAN should stop weakening the Naga political issue with flip-flop statements on Naga political issue’. Jamir asked Rio to stop holding the Nagas to ransom.
On the other hand Jamir asserted that only the Congress has a clear vision by allowing the Nagas to ‘speak in one voice for meaningful dialogue’ with the GOI. “It will certainly present its charter of proposals to the people of Nagaland representing all sections (both underground and over-ground) and the GOI in its own good time.”
On the issue of the bedrock of Naga society, Jamir said it is clearly a “closed chapter” and he xepressed surprise as to why the NPF was trying to “revive and keep alive the dead document”. The Naga people had rejected the booklet and the Congress had accepted the peoples’ verdict and declared the chapter closed both in front of the people of Nagaland and on the floor of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly, Jamir asserted. However, for giving so much of undeserved importance to it after its burial, the NPF will now, be responsible for any negative fall out from this booklet, Jamir cautioned.
Further Jamir stated: “If the NPF think Congress has no moral right to talk about Naga political issue, the NPF with its continued veiled attack on 16 point agreement has no moral right to participate in the State general elections and parliamentary elections. They should feel ashamed of themselves and step down.”
