Kohima, November 18 (MExN): The Naga People’s Front (NPF) led by Neiphiu Rio in response to the statement of Dr. Shürhozelie published on November 17 has stated that the latter calling the “majority NPF (TR-NR) to return to minority group…is absurd, shallow and without logic.”
A rejoinder from Press and Information Cell of Rio-led NPF stated, “The sheer absurdity about Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu’s call is his references to black magic which has no relevancies in Naga Culture and usage of such savagery words are unbecoming of a senior citizen.”
It maintained that Shürhozelie’s group should be the one to join hands with the majority NPF (TR Zeliang-Neiphiu Rio) if they want to save and uphold the NPF party.
“In democracy, numerical strength should be the determining factor especially in party matters therefore the majority cannot join the minority unless in a policy of dictatorial politics,” the rejoinder stated.
Stating that “our resolve to change the leadership in the party are not driven by any unseen force but purely by the force of democracy and by the voices of the majority,” it added, “The Truth of the matter is we left the splinter group due to the unconstitutional and dictatorial functioning style of Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu and certainly not by some confusions created by others.”
One of the prominent bones of contention for deserting their rival group, the Rio group said, is “due to absences of neither clause nor article to remove or impeach the party president.”
It alleged that these “suppressions” eventually transformed Shürhozelie into an “autocratic party president;” therefore, “we can safely conclude that the allegations of our poor understandings of the party and hands of outside forces to create problems are misplaced and incorrect.”
The rejoinder stated the party has “surmised that the olive branch extended by Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu, which are laced with phrases such as ‘come to me, join me’ are neither sincere nor democratic but an autocratic gesture to grind us.”
