Continuing its diatribe against the PDA government and chief minister Neiphiu Rio, NPF has once again hit out at Rio of contradicting himself for the last three months on the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, integration of Naga-inhabited contiguous areas, NDPP’s recognition and 100-days commitment.
In a communiqué, NPF’s press bureau pointed out that Rio had announced that his government would not oppose the controversial citizenship Bill as Article 371(A) and ILP regulations provided safeguard to the Nagas, but he maintained on the other hand that his government would oppose the Bill if any part of it went against the interest of the Nagas.
According to the opposition party, Rio’s contradictory statements revealed either he was ignorant and hence indecisive or was under compulsion to please Central bigwigs at the cost of his people.
NPF questioned when the Naga people should oppose Citizenship (Amendment) Bill – before it was placed on the floor of Parliament or after it was passed. The party pointed out that after a Bill was passed by both houses of Parliament, a single State could not change or amend it, and so asked the chief minister, instead of confusing the people with his indecisive and contradictory statements, to clearly spell out on what grounds his government was supporting the Bill.
Further, denouncing Rio for commenting that integration of contiguous Naga-inhabited was subject to approval from the neighbouring States, the opposition party alleged that this was done to please his political masters and neighbouring States at the cost of the legitimate right of the Nagas.
Mentioning that it was not demanding Naga integration from neighbouring States as this had been an obstacle to the longstanding demand of the Nagas, NPF said it was the duty of the Centre’s interlocutor to discuss with the States concerned where the Nagas had been living since time immemorial. Referring to Rio’s purported statement during his interaction with the media on June 13 outside the civil secretariat in Kohima that Nagas living in India and spread across four States should come together and settle the matter with Government of India (GoI), while Nagas in Myanmar should seek a separate settlement with the Myanmarese government, NPF questioned him where the Nagas of Nagaland would fit in under such an arrangement.
NPF also accused Rio of trying his best to backtrack from what he had mentioned and was today inviting NSCN (K) to resume ceasefire with GoI, and thereby clearly portraying his contradictory approach. It asked him to apologise before the Naga political groups and Naga people to end all confusions and misunderstandings following his statements.
On cancellation of NDPP’s recognition by Election Commission of India (ECI), NPF denied having filed any petition before ECI as alleged by Rio. The matter came to light following a notice issued by ECI based on a petition filed by Zeneisiile Ate Loucii, it added.
NPF demanded that, if there was any petitioner from NPF, Rio must clearly identify the person “instead of putting fabricated stories in public domain”.
Referring to his government’s 100-days commitment, the opposition party said, after blaming the recently-held Lok Sabha by-poll, Rio would now blame monsoon rains as if he was not aware of the rainy season in Nagaland.
NPF also asked why the PDA government was silent on the confirmed deficit figure of Reserve Bank of India for the financial years 2013-14 and 2014-15, despite a request by leader of opposition TR Zeliang in this regard to Nagaland Legislative Assembly speaker Er Vikho-o Yhoshu.
The party asked whether this was transparency and accountability when his government had failed to reply even to such a simple query.
Questioning the government on its failure to disclose names of contractors and total amount allocated to respective district headquarters for renovations and filling of potholes under its 60-days initiative, NPF termed it as an insult to the people of Nagaland.