Kohima, July 26 (MExN): The NPF Legislature Party (NPFLP), after receiving criticism over its recent political move, clarified that it supported the concept of an opposition-less Government “without any pre-condition.”
The NPF Legislature Party, in a communiqué issued by Secretary Dr Chumben Murry on Monday, stated that, “It has placed no demand whatsoever before the incumbent PDA Government.”
It said that the Naga people have been praying for unity among the 60 MLAs in order to facilitate the Indo-Naga peace process so that all Naga negotiating groups can come together and create a common ground in order to remove all kinds of confusion among the Nagas and the Government of India (GoI) as well. “The good intention of NPF Legislature Party should not be misconstrued because the sole reason and purpose in supporting the formation of an Opposition-less Government is to pursue for an early resolution and settlement of the protracted Naga Political Issue,” the communiqué stated.
It requested the Naga negotiating groups and the Central Government including all political parties to be sincere in their approach while handling the ongoing situation in order to conclude the ongoing Indo-Naga peace process at the earliest.
NPF responds to criticisms
Meanwhile, the Naga People’s Front (NPF) on Monday responded to the flak it received from the NPP and the NPCC over its recent decision to support the ruling coalition in the state.
Responding through a press communiqué, the NPF Press Bureau stated that it was ‘amused’ by the National People’s Party’s (NPP) claim that the move was a ‘political gimmick’ and said that “certain deceptive contentions need to be clarified so that the Naga public is not deceived by such a self-serving statement with intent to mislead.”
The NPF stated that extending support to the ruling coalition to expedite the unresolved political conflict with the GoI was an effort to demonstrate cohesiveness and present a united voice as elected representatives of the Nagas. “It is not grouping as one political entity and claim to be unifying for the Naga cause, as alleged by the NPP statement because it is neither a merger nor political defection to another political party,” it said while adding that the Naga-centric ideology of the NPF remains intact.
It said that the NPP’s statement conveniently ignored the hard political reality that the State Government is neither a party to the political negotiations between the GoI and the various Naga Political Groups nor a signatory to pre-settlement agreements on which, the political negotiations are being based. Rather, it said, the state government has been playing a facilitating role between the various negotiating entities and the NPF “is prepared to explore every possibility, including supporting the ruling dispensation in its effort to strengthen and expedite the political negotiation.”
The party stated that the elected representatives of the NPF along with all the MLAs are ready to resign and pave way for the smooth transition of power should political developments necessitate such an act. “However, as democratically elected representatives responsible to the people, the entire MLAs cannot relinquish their position just to appease a political party that, conveniently, does not have a single elected representative in the Legislative Assembly,” it stated, taking a jibe at both the NPP and the NPCC.
It went on to say that the NPF would continue to champion the rights of the Nagas and strive to protect and promote them within the parameter of a democratic Government, because this objective is the fundamental principle on which the party was founded.
