Kohima, June 22 (MExN): The Naga People’s Front (NPF), Kohima division in its meeting today “totally rejected” the Chief Minister’s purported statement on Naga integration and citizenship bill.
According to a press release from NPF Kohima division president, Gonei-u Sirie, the division was “amused” over Rio’s statement to the media on June 12 that “the integration of the Naga contiguous area is not possible and also the PDA government will not oppose the Citizenship Amendment Bill 2016.”
Regarding the integration issue, the Kohima division maintained that the NPF, which represents the identity of the Naga people and also as mentioned in the party constitution and election manifestos, has been advocating for the integration of all Naga contiguous area and to live under one administrative umbrella.
“Integrating the Naga inhabited areas and desire of the Naga people to live under one single administrative umbrella is not the only wish-dream of the NPF party, but it is the wishes of the Naga people since time immemorial,” it added.
“Therefore, how can a Chief Minister simply just announce that integration is not possible at this juncture while the Naga political dialogue is still going on and the solution is yet to arrive at between the GoI and the Naga National Groups,” the NPF division wondered.
Alleging that “the Naga integration issue is being used by the NDPP to bargain with the BJP leaders at Central for the reason best known to them,” the press release added, “Therefore, the Naga people will never accept any such bonus which the NDPP have received from the Centre in exchange of the Naga integration.”
The NPF Kohima division in the meeting held at its office conference hall also “seriously viewed and discussed” the Chief Minister’s statement that the PDA government will not oppose the Citizenship Amendment Bill 2016, it was informed.
“Being the Chief Minister, he can never trade with the future of the Naga people,” the division asserted. It noted that despite the introduction of Inner Line Permit (ILP) and Article 371 (A), “Nagaland has become the most vulnerable State for the illegal immigrants and the Citizenship Bill is nothing but simply a multiplication table to increase more illegal immigrants into our land.”
The release stated the NPF Kohima division “do not rule out Rio got another bonus point from the BJP leaders at Central for supporting the Bill.” However, it added, “the Naga people will never allow Rio to bypass the interest of the Naga people for the BJP’s hidden agenda or for the PDA bonus packages.”
The division demanded the Chief Minister to spell out his “clear stand” to the Naga people on the above two pertinent issues and not divert the issue any longer.
It also reminded the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) that the NPF president Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu had at no point of time in his bye-election campaign spoken or gone against any religion or used any inflammatory speeches which will affect in promoting feelings of enmity, hatred and ill-will and creating disharmony between different communities on the ground of religion as accused by the NDPP.
The president had only spoken about Article 25, which safeguards every religion and urged to defend the Christian faith, it stated. However, the NDPP leaders went on to lodge a complaint letter to the ECI and subsequently filed an FIR in the police station, it alleged.
Meanwhile, the NPF Kohima division condemned the NDPP for calling its party central president ‘liar’, “which is nothing but a serious character assassination allegation” and asked the NDPP to produce evidence of their allegation.
