Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) has termed the consultative meeting of the State government with tribal hohos on Wednesday as a “sham” and in particular, slammed the government led by chief minister Neiphiu Rio for washing its hands off by not taking decisions on several issues.
NPCC said that whatever transpired at the consultative meeting and going by the speeches of chief minister and others, as reported in the media, law-making in Nagaland has shifted from Nagaland Legislative Assembly to State Banquet Hall as all 60 elected members have abdicated their responsibilities to focus only on raiding State exchequer.
NPCC in particular, referred to the chief minister’s address at Wednesday’s consultative meeting wherein Rio reportedly requested the 14 Naga tribal hohos to resolve the boundary issue between Dimapur and Peren through customary practice and a spirit of brotherhood.
According the NPCC this was nothing short of conveniently outsourcing policy making and governance to 14 tribal hohos.
NPCC reiterated that it cannot remain silent when the State government and its cronies continue to indulge ‘in fooling people without any hesitation’.
Added to this, NPCC said now that NPF has joined the government to form the ‘Nagaland United Government (NUG)’ under the plea of facilitating Naga political solution, the intensity of political gimmicks will increase while common people will continue to suffer without any end in sight, it warned.
Dimapur-Peren boundary issue: NPCC reminded that the State government had already set up two committees in the past and whose reports were already with the government. However, it said that instead of a taking decision, the government has thrown the ball into the court of 14 tribal hohos.
NPCC blamed the government of being fully responsible for allowing inter-village disputes on boundary demarcations to take the form of inter-tribe dispute by turning blind eye to various instigators perched on some CSO platforms.
It alleged that rather than taking action against those instigators, the government had washed off its hand and shifted the responsibility to 14 tribal hohos. NPCC said such a move will be counterproductive and asked the government to recall this “senseless decision”.
RIIN: According to NPCC, Rio backtracking on RIIN by not making any firm commitment, was another sign of cowardice despite forming an all-party government. NPCC said Rio was the one responsible for coming up with concept of RIIN, but was now parroting his concern for other citizens of India and thereby diluting the very purpose of having RIIN.
NPCC said that when the Commission on RIIN or Banuo Commission had held exhaustive consultations with various tribe hohos, civil society organisations (CSOs), pressure groups and other stakeholders before submitting its report to the government, again seeking opinions of CSOs or going for multiple rounds of consultations was just a ploy to delay and thwart the implementation of RIIN.
“We therefore condemn the State government for double standards and demand that RIIN be implemented with December 1, 1963 as the cut-off date without further delay,” demanded the party.
Women Reservation and ULB polls: NPCC termed the discussion on women reservation in urban local bodies (ULBs) but without representation from any women bodies from the State, as a big insult to women.
NPCC mentioned that the violence and mayhem during ULB agitation in 2017 was still fresh in the minds of the people and that though four years had since elapsed, the government had so far failed to book the instigators and perpetrators of violence.
“As long as Nagaland remains a part of Indian Union, constitutional obligations will have to be fulfilled and sourcing twisted opinions or interpretations on legal aspects of women reservation and its applicability in Nagaland vis-à-vis Article 371A will not address the discrimination and betrayal to our women folks,” stated NPCC.