Our Correspondent
Kohima | October 30
The indefinite sit-in protest against Nagaland Legislative Assembly Speaker spearheaded by Naga People’s Front (NPF) Central Youth Wing outside Secretariat junction here entered the sixth day today.
Addressing the party functionaries, MLA Kuzholuzo (Azo) Nienu reminded that “the present crisis within NPF started because of the Governor unconstitutionally installing TR Zeliang government on July 19 last and the Assembly Speaker accepting Zeliang as the Party whip during the Trust Vote on July 21.”
Azo said the Speaker had taken a swift action by rejecting his appointment as the Leader of NPF Legislature Party on July 20 last because the 10 NPF MLAs were in the minority that day.
Now, he said, NPF has expelled and suspended 32 of the dissident MLAs and presently there are only four NPF MLAs in Zeliang group, but the Speaker is yet to accept the appointment of NPF Legislature Party leader and Chief Whip.
“There are only four NPF legislators on the other side while we are 10 and have fulfilled the required criteria under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution of India, so why can’t the Speaker accept our appointments,” he queried.
He also termed the move for reconciliation called by Neiphiu Rio-led NPF as an “eye wash”, stating that on one hand they are calling for reconciliation while on the other they are submitting letter to the Speaker to disqualify “nine of us.”
“Rio and Zeliang group is only trying to confuse the Naga people,” Azo said, while encouraging the party workers not to be disturbed but uphold the principles and ideologies of the party.
Meanwhile, MLA Yitachu said the sit-in protest will continue till the rights of the people are restored and till justice is restored to the people.
“We are not against anybody taking over the government as long as it is constitutional and as long as it is lawfully correct. But we cannot allow unconstitutional government, unlawful, illegal government to go on to misguide and confuse the people,” he asserted.
He held that the Election Commission of India (ECI) order issued on October 17 was very clear that the NPF party symbol, the flag belong to its “original party” headed by President Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu.
Terming the ongoing dharna as “very peaceful,” he said, “We do not look forward to any kind of violence, protest or agitation that will bring destruction…but when things are pushed too far and when people continue to do illegal things, unconstitutional things out of the way then definitely people will have no choice but to fight back with whatever they can to secure their rights and justice.”
Yitachu believed that the Governor and the Speaker will not do another mistake which will push the state into chaos and violence. “Let us continue to restore all issues through peaceful means,” he urged.
He alleged that the situation would have never come to the present state had it not been for the Governor of Nagaland. Yitachu charged the Governor’s action as unwarranted. The MLA further accused the Speaker of “dancing to the tune of the Governor and allowing the unconstitutional government to keep on functioning.”
Charging that the Governor and the Speaker want the Naga society to be heading towards a dictator kind of functioning in government system and in social life, he said, “This is very unfortunate and very unexpected on the part of the Governor and the Speaker.”
Today, he stated, Naga society deserves to be in better place and get better development.
“If the Naga people would continue to remain silent and even cannot realize how a system can be allowed to run without Constitution and without control it is very painful and very unfortunate and it would push the state backward instead of forward,” he added.
With regard to the messages of the Governor and Chief Minister on the eve of Vigilance Awareness Week that “Corruption has become a way of life,” he stated, “When two head of the state are making such statement…now the people have the right to know what are the steps that they have initiated, put forward to check corruption activities in the state.”
