Morung Express News
Kohima | March 23
Factional feuds, extortions by various underground groups and the killing of innocent public and policemen dominated the entire two-days debate on motions of thanks to the Governor’s Address.
Several Opposition Congress legislators and disgruntled DAN members like Therie, and Tiameren, charged the ruling DAN of failing to protect innocent lives, to stop unabated factional fights amongst the underground factions and to contain rampant extortions and demands made by the undergrounds from public, employees, contractors, VDBs etc.
Opposition members also stuck to their contention that factional fights are a law and order problem and not political problem anymore. They also slammed the DAN’s equi-closeness policy, alleging that this policy has done more harm than bringing the warring factions closer.
Opposition and dissident DAN members also alleged that the government policy of equi-closeness has lost its relevance and the latter has failed to live up to its commitment of bringing honourable and acceptable to the Naga political struggle as mentioned in its CMP.
However, replying to the Opposition’s charges Rio, said that the DAN government has not hidden any information on the talks’ outcome from people. The Chief Minister also firmly defended DAN’s policy of equi- closeness, stating that their peace building efforts has yielded fruits.
There is active or passive facilitator as alleged by the Opposition, but as a state government they can not directly partake in the talks, however, only act out a role of facilitator.
“We can not control or dictate undergrounds. They are having ceasefire with GOI, but not amongst themselves”, Rio said replying to the Congress charge that the government has failed to contain factional feuds and to protect life of the people.
He also said that the DAN government is serious in bringing peace amongst the underground factions, for which they had held several rounds of CCP meeting and has met underground factions. Unless Nagas unite, we will perish, Rio asserted. However, Rio made it clear to the house that Naga problem can not be solved overnight, and emphasized on the need to evolve collective efforts. We can not behave like an underground, we have to play our part under the constitution of India, Rio told the Opposition Congress.
Rio said that CFMC has ground rules enforcing mechanisms, but doesn’t have the mechanisms to implement it. Moreover, the implementing agency is the government of India and not the state government. As such, many a time state government was made handicapped in effectively protecting the life and properties of the people.
“We are not shifting responsibility to the GOI. We know our duty and we are doing it”, Rio said.
He asked the Opposition members not to take the Naga political problem as a law and order problem, but to make a clear distinction between the two problems.
Rio also reiterated that DAN government will pave way if the underground groups managed to bring honourable and acceptable solutions to the protracted Naga struggle.
The Chief Minister cautioned the opposition members of the sensitivity of the Naga political issue and asked the latter not to politicize the matter. He also said that the house should not differ in their opinion on the Naga political struggle, and asked the Congress to stop accusing the ruling government, but play their part.
Rio also appreciated the churches, NGOs and civil societies for playing important role in peace initiative.
“We should work collectively with GOI and enforce ground rules”, Rio added.
Naga politics overshadowed the burning issues like alarming HIV/AIDS and the environment and ecology problem in the two days consecutive debate on motion of thanks to the Governor address.
Save for Congress MLA, Medokul Sophie, no member of the opposition bench bothered to question the ruling DAN government over the failure to prevent the spread of epidemic, in spite of so much of fund provided by the Centre.
Congress MLA, Apok Jamir, and MC Konyak did raise the issues of the rampant encroachment in Intanki National Park and other reserved Forests of the state. However, this issue failed to gain prominent discussion in the two days debate. Besides, the Governor address did not mention anything about Forest issue.
The Chief Minister’s brief reply was that the state government has asked the Forest department to see and stop all encroachment and other illegal activities in the Intanki National Park.
Interestingly, Congress acted naively today as they asked the ruling DAN government to distance themselves from NGOs, Civil societies and churches, and to write a letter to the Manipur government to reimburse the Rs 71 lakhs spent by Nagaland government on the Naga students, who appeared in the last HSLC exams under NBSE.
However, Chief Minister replied that it is not possible as the money was spent in Nagaland.
After replying point by point to the opposition charges, Rio appealed to the Opposition to withdraw their amendment move. Congress conceded to the Chief Minister appeal, but not before speaking out their minds.
Congress, who came up with 16-amendment move to the motion of thanks on Governor’s address, refused to retreat on two points, that is the Chief Minister allegation that the former had backtracked from the proposed Consultative Committee on Peace, stating that it has not backtracked, but protested because the ruling DAN failed to meet their demand of dissolving DAN sub-committee. The Congress also refused to withdraw their amendment move on Home Minister Delhi trip, stating that they had been waiting for invitation from the leader of house to invite them to have pre-discussion, however, since it was not done and the trip was organized haphazardly they refused to be part of the team, Imkong said. Thereafter, the house adopted the motions of thanks to the Governor’s Address.
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