DIMAPUR, SEPTEMBER 3 (MExN): The Congress has been dared to show its moral fibre over the Naga political issue. If the political party does accept the challenge, a lively debate is set to follow suit. Virtually using the rival’s rhetoric against them, Nagaland People’s Front president Dr Shürhozelie Liezetsü said in a rejoinder issued today, “Naga political issue is a closed chapter for the Congress” and challenged them for a public debate on the issue.
If the Nagaland Congress invites him to dwell on the issue, Shürhozelie says he is “fully prepared to talk about their failures in the past” and that he will, in response to their invitation, “dwell in detail about their stand as clearly stated in the booklet, ‘Bedrock of Naga Society’ next time.”Under the circumstances, it is “rather funny” that the Congress echoed the NPF policy in recognizing the Naga problem as a political problem, the veteran politician said. “Can anybody believe them when they echoed NPF policy without condemning the ‘Bedrock of Naga Society?”
He faced up to the Congress to condemn their own “angry expressions” in the booklet line by line and to tender their apology to the Naga people. “Only then, they can morally talk about Naga political problem and its solution.
“They further said that they are prepared to step down from the Government should there be a political solution. Let me ask them how they are prepared for such action when they are neither in the Government nor there is any chance for them to come back to power.” Shürhozelie asserted that Nagas would not be swayed by “such cheap propaganda” and said the Congress’ declaration was made to “confuse the mind of the common people.”
Making it amply clear that it was his prerogative to talk to his party men on any subject that he feels necessary, he reiterated, “Common sense tells us that the State Government can only facilitate and strive to persuade the conflicting parties to solve the long standing Indo-Naga problem.” On the Congress allegation that the NPF had made a promise to the people that they would solve the Naga political problem within three months of coming to power, he said, “Can any person with sound mentality believe that NPF had promised to solve the Naga problem within three months?”
On a sarcastic note, he rebuffed allegations of fund misuse. “Yes, because funds are misused, Naga people have seen so many developments which is going on unabated till today. Because of misappropriation of funds, we have completed so many buildings, in particular some of which are considered to be the best buildings in the whole country like Assembly complex, Raj Bhavan, Police Hqs etc.”
He left it to the Naga people to judge how much the Congress had done for the people during their rule of 20 years in Nagaland (excluding the 2-year interruption in the nineties) by “utilizing the funds judiciously.” “Call a spade a spade. NPF is now looking beyond 2008 election with much more programs at hand.”
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