Dimapur, April 27 (MExN): Lok Sabha MP from Nagaland State, Neiphiu Rio, has requested the Disciplinary Action Committee (DAC) of the Naga People’s Front (NPF) to withdraw the show cause notice issued to him in the “greater interest of understanding and unity of the NPF, and in the true spirit of reconciliation and oneness of the NPF party.”
This was stated in a response - released to the press today - to a show cause notice issued to Rio by the DAC of the NPF dated April 13, which he said he received on April 18. He was also issued an earlier show cause notice on April 4 to which he had already replied on April 14.
Rio asserted in his recent response that he was “always for reconciliation, party unity and oneness.” He thus denied the “false allegation of anti-party activism and harbouring of dissident movement,” terming them to be “completely untrue.”
The MP also clarified that he does not have to enter State politics “through backdoor,” thereby putting on record that he has “not spoken to any party leader or elected Member of any intention to return to State politics.”
“Being one of the founding members of the NPF party,” Rio asserted that “I have always strived for party unity and desired true reconciliation in letter and spirit.”
Reiterating the NPF party election manifestos of 2003, 2008 and 2013, Rio stated that he stands by the commitment made to the people that the leaders will “step down to pave way for an alternative arrangement in the event of a political settlement that is honourable and acceptable to the people.”
The NPF leader also made known that he had supported TR Zeliang’s leadership when the latter had majority support. Likewise, “when the majority of NPF MLAs supported the leadership of Mr. Kaito and Mr. Noke, I extended support to the majority group within our party.”
‘I have never deviated from my declared stand’
In his response, Neiphiu Rio stated that the “primary purpose” for his venture into national politics was to “hasten the peace process and the ongoing political dialogue in tune with our NPF Manifesto.”
In that, he reiterated that “the issue of the Naga struggle for self determination has been successful,” basing his argument on Government of India’s (GoI) recognition of the “uniqueness” of Naga history, leading to the negotiations/peace process culminating in the August 3, 2015 ‘Framework Agreement.’
“It is the opportune time for all Nagas to be pragmatic and come together to work out a political settlement with the GOI in order to move forward and ensure a brighter future for our younger generations,” he stated.
Taking note of the “allegations” made in the show cause notice issued to him on April 13, Rio clarified that “I have never deviated from my declared stand on the Naga political issue and I have tirelessly strived for bringing early political settlement that is honourable and acceptable to the people.”
In two years of becoming an MP, he said that he has taken up the issue of development in Parliament “from all possible angles.” Moreover, “I have extended my fullest cooperation to the State Government in my role of monitoring national flagship programmes and I have always given positive suggestions for more effective implementation of the programmes,” stated Rio.
Reiterating that “some of the greatest sacrifices” of his political career were made for the “Regional Cock Party,” Rio stated that “When I have given my best for the building up of this party, the question of dividing or doing damage upon the party just does not arise.”
With regards to this, he said that he believes in democracy “in every sense of the word.” The MP said that he endorsed TR Zeliang’s leadership when he had “majority support.”
However, “I had initially proposed Mr. Noke to succeed me but when I learnt that Mr. T.R. Zeliang had garnered majority support without my knowledge and through a signature campaign and therefore I requested Mr. Noke to withdraw his candidature and unanimous endorsement was given to Mr. T. R. Zeliang. Likewise, when the majority of NPF MLAs supported the leadership of Mr. Kaito and Mr. Noke, I extended support to the majority group within our party.”
On the allegations that he had a hand in lodging a complaint against the Chief Minister on the issue of educational qualification, Rio brought to attention that “these type of allegations pertaining to cases, which are subjudice of attributing motive to me so as to give the impression that the cases are motivated tantamount to interference with administration of justice.”
On the other hand, he said he got a “rude shock” to learn that “two senior functionaries of the NPF party, namely Mr. S. Shingnyu and Mr. Hanghu had filed complaint against me on the issue of my educational qualification despite the fact that I am an elected NPF MP.”
Asserting that he is for “total reconciliation in letter and spirit,” the Lok Sabha MP said that “Instead of furnishing the said information you have issued in this show cause notice making various allegations against me from which it is implicitly clear that the first show cause notice was a trap show cause notice which did not contain material particulars with the hope of obtaining from me certain unguarded statements and when the same failed you have resorted to this show cause notice, the perusal of which clearly indicates that most of the allegations contained in the show cause notice pertain to the period up to April, 2015.”
The NPF party went into reconciliation thereafter. “If there was any strength in your allegations you should have issued this show cause notice one year ago and that too before the reconciliation. After the reconciliation, the alleged cause of action does not exist. You did not initiate any action because you knew that there is no substance in these allegations. All allegations to the contrary are denied,” stated Rio, requesting the DAC of the NPF to withdraw the show cause notice.
The response was addressed to NPF’s DAC Convenor, Blaise Heilung, at the NPF Central Office, with copies marked to Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu, President NPF, and KG Kenye, Secretary General NPF & MP (Rajya Sabha).
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