TR Zeliang says ruling bench has sidelined opposition on Naga issue

TR Zeliang

TR Zeliang

TR Zeliang. (File Photo)

 

DIMAPUR, OCTOBER 22 (MExN): Leader of the Opposition, TR Zeliang today wrote to the Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) Speaker, expressing disappointment at the indefinite meeting postponement of the Joint Legislators Forum (JLF) on Naga political issue. 


Zeliang informed that the forum was informed of a proposed meeting on October 4 at Rhododendron Hall, Chumukedima which was however postponed and thereafter, no further notice has been served till date. 


“If the proposed meeting was postponed at the request of the Governor, why has the Speaker/Deputy Speaker not fixed another date till today?” he questioned. Zeliang noted that at this crucial time, elected members, as facilitators of the peace process “should be at our best and facilitate in resolving the Naga issue without further delay.” 


The former CM termed it unfortunate that the ruling bench has “sidelined” the opposition members on this issue “regardless of the unconditional support that we have rendered through and through towards this cause.” He reminded that JLF members had unanimously constituted a Parliamentary Working Committee (PWC) comprising of 32 members from both the benches with the sole purpose of apprising central leaders for an early solution. 


However, Zeliang said that the Chief Minister accorded “little or no regard to the PWC” and “has sent the wrong signal to some central leaders.” 


“If the Chief Minister had no hidden agenda while apprising the Central Leaders on the Indo-Naga Political issue along with only few of his Cabinet Ministers, why did he not include the opposition Members in the Team, as in the past?” Zeliang questioned.  He further stated that such action “is not in the right spirit of the JLF as the decisions taken in the JLF meetings are to be presented in letter and spirit to the central leaders represented by both the ruling and opposition bench.”


The Leader of the Opposition meanwhile said that given the stand of the Government of India and the NSCN (IM) on the issue of flag and constitution, the JLF needs to “urgently facilitate in whatever way it can.”


He appealed to the NLA Speaker to call for a meeting of the JLF at the earliest time possible so that necessary action may be initiated “before it is too late.”
 



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