Kohima, July 31 (MExN): In response to the NDPP Youth Organisation’s rejoinder published on July 31, the Central Youth Wing of Naga People’s Front (NPF) today stated that the NDPP “as usual deviated the core issue and turned the appeal of the Leader of Opposition, TR Zeliang into an irrelevant personal issue.”
Condemning the “irresponsible statement” of the Youth Organization, it opined that “NDPP must not divert such important issues into personal attacks since the issue is for the people at large and not for any particular political party.”
NDPP Youth Organisation had issued the rejoinder following TR Zeliang’s public appeal to unite against influx of illegal immigrants ahead of the publication of National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam.
The Press & Media Wing of NPF Central Youth Wing in the response maintained that the Leader of Opposition raised pertinent issue as this was “necessitated” due to the release of NRC in Assam “which would very likely endanger the State of Nagaland since huge influx cannot be controlled by checking of Inner Line Permit (ILP) alone.”
It is highly essential on the part of the Government to place additional administrative officers and forces to border areas of the State, it added.
“If NDPP believes that former Chief Minister, TR Zeliang is responsible for non-effective implementation of Inner line Permit (ILP) during his tenure of 4 years, what do the NDPP think about present Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio’s effort in streamlining ILP system in the State during his 11 years as Chief Minister during which the rarest of killings, arrest incidents were much higher than during the 4 years rule of TR Zeliang?” the NPF Youth Wing questioned.
It alleged that Rio did not pay heed to the contentious Citizenship Amendment Bill 2016 when civil societies, intellectuals including the NPF Party and Leader of Opposition questioned him on the decision taken by his Cabinet on June 5, 2018. “The Chief Minister also kept silent on his controversial statement on Naga Integration issue declared at New Delhi. He also remained silent on the 4 (Four) lane road from Dimapur-Kohima National Highway (NH) despite clear indication in the Contract Agreement that the State Government was supposed to take up the deteriorating road-condition of the existing 2 (Two)-lane with the concerned Contractors,” it added.
The NPF Central Youth Wing further asked the NDPP Youth as well as the Chief Minister to come out with clear cut road-map on how to uproot the “chronic problem of illegal immigrants” in the Naga society instead of taking it to the arena of political parties at this crucial time.
“The Government of the day should act instead of simply issuing advisories. We should look at the prevailing burning situation and hammer out a solution instead of adding more fuel to the burning house,” the statement added. Meanwhile, it asserted that the issue of illegal immigrants should not be subjected to mere political debate. “What the successive Governments, 11 years of Rio and 4 years of Zeliang, did or did not is redundant at this point. The time to play the devil’s advocate and mudslinging should be put to rest as crying over spilled milk will not yield result far less curb the issue of IBIs.”
