The NPF-led DAN government has failed on all fronts. The people of Nagaland have totally lost confidence in the corrupt DAN government. Where is its legitimacy to continue? The following highlights of its many failures are proof enough that it has lost all moral rights to rule the State.
1. On Naga political issue:- The NPF in its campaign during 2003 election at Viswema village promised to the people that it would bring solution to the Naga political problem within three months. It adopted equi-closeness as its declared policy in its 2003 election manifesto. Then after the 2008 election, it perfidiously re-defined its policy as an “active facilitator”. In the latest political development, it has been harping so much on uniting the entire 60 members of Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) with the objective to press the Government of India (GoI) for solution before the 2013 election. Yet, from what was learnt, the Cabinet had already recommended to the Chief Election Commission of India to advance the 2013 election. The NPF can’t fool the people of Nagaland with its double standard stand. While the JLF resolution might have made some impact in Delhi, back home, the Naga political groups want to see the seriousness and sincerity of the legislators from a different perspective.
2. On State’s economy:- From a zero deficit and `365 crores peace bonus in 2003, the NPF-led DAN government has landed the State to a deficit of `695.59 crore as per 2012-13 budget presentation and an outstanding loan of `643.74 crore. The continuance of the DAN government has become a great liability to the State.
3. On Municipal & Town Councils elections:- The tenure of all the Municipal and Town Councils expired between 19/12/09 and 09/03/10. Elections of the Urban Local Bodies was due in January / February, 2010 but instead of conducting election, the Cabinet appointed the Executive Officers of the dissolved Municipal and Town Councils as Administrators and constituted Advisory boards whose members were all drawn from NPF party only. Following the Hon’ble Court’s order the State government dissolved the Advisory Boards in April 2010. The Civic bodies are now in the hands of Executive Officers who are under the direct control of the DAN government. Failure to conduct the civic polls in time is a violation of the Constitution and a challenge to its democratic system. A government that has failed to discharge its constitutional duty and responsibility has lost constitutional validity.
4. On 33% Women reservation:- The NPF-led DAN government in its state of 2003 post election hysteria passed the 33% women reservation bill in 2006 even when the Parliament had not cleared the bill. However, when the time for its practical implementation in civic body election came, the DAN government found itself in between the devil and the deep blue sea. The confrontation between the DAN government and the Naga women group has resulted in painful gender divide that the indistinct gender Naga society had never experienced before.
5. On ENPO’s statehood demand:- The NPF-led DAN government’s devious exploitation of these backward areas particularly in matters of employment and contract & supplies bred the seed of resentment. The in-apt handling of the issue by the Chief Minister in its nascent stage added insult to the already aggrieved party that ultimately culminated into statehood demand. Never before was the State of Nagaland put into the brink of division and disintegration. The government of the day is entirely responsible for the impasse.
6. On forced superannuation:- The DAN government’s frequent policy changes in superannuation issue of the government employees was nothing but a calculated move to play vote bank politics. On the eve of 2008 election the DAN government had increased the superannuation age. But when the government had secured the saddle, it suddenly reverted on its policy and applied dual benchmark in which, nearly 4000 employees were forced to retire without preparation for post-retirement plans. To add salt to the wound, payment of retirement benefits were delayed and they were systematically denied of the 6th RoP benefit with treacherous cut-off year. The tell-tale story of these pensioners is that, their innocent children are the direct victims for no fault of theirs’. The DAN government’s myopic policy had benefited only those in the helms of power to grab undue advantage to indulge in backdoor political appointments.
7. On corruption:- The DAN government is the mother of all corruptions in Nagaland. It a scandalous and mega-scam tainted government. It has corrupted the entire system of governance and administration. There’s not a single major development department that is scam-free. Corruption has percolated down to the village level institutions. It has not spared even the social, traditional and religious institutions. Some gullible members of non-governmental organizations have denigrated the erstwhile respectable institutions that the people are fast losing faith in our own institutions. The generous funds released by the Congress-led UPA government have been misused without second thought for its negative social impacts. The NPF-led DAN government has turned Nagaland into a mammon State.
The list of scams and scandals are endless giving the fact that everyday, new scams and scandals are added to their cupboard. The latest case scenario is the power crisis in Nagaland which is a direct by-product of corruption in high places. While violence of any nature has no place in democratic means of protest, the incident of vandalizing the power department office in Dimapur was the proverbial “last straw”. That, the DAN government has subjected the populace of Nagaland into a state of unbearable heat and pitch darkness during the peak of monsoon when the generation of power is normally maximum leaves no room for the government for excuse. The unabated load-shedding is a sign that suffice to say that the DAN government is in political ICU.
The NPF’s anti-people policies have driven the classless Naga society into “haves and haves not”. The great divide between the rich and the poor has reached an all-time high. The people of Nagaland need to ponder as to whether to allow the mammon government to continue at the cost of the majority public or call it a day and show them the door. Given the opportunity, the Congress has the political wisdom and vision to bring back the State to the track of equality and prosperity. In the past, regrettably, internal differences were allowed to overshadow public interest and issues of public importance. However, it is prudent to realize that ultimately, it is the general public and the eligible voters in particular who can decide as to who should lead the State. The Congress is committed to provide a viable alternative to the people of Nagaland. The will and power of the people should prevail in which, the ideals of republic will be realized in its true spirit. God bless the people of Nagaland and save Nagaland from anarchy.
Dr. K. Hoshi
Chairman
Media Cell, NPCC.
