Therie defends call for Presidential Rule

DIMAPUR, SEP 23 (NPN): Defending his earlier call for President’s Rule in Nagaland, former minister K Therie Wednesday asserted that the demand now enjoyed mass public support and accused the ruling Naga People’s Front (NPF) of acting as a roadblock to an early solution of the Naga political issue.
In a press release, Therie said people wanted peace and freedom and had come to regard the NPF as an obstacle to a solution. He said the party’s mandate was to facilitate an early settlement and honour its commitment “to pave the way” for an honourable and acceptable agreement.
Therie said the agreements reached so far had become “legal tender documents” and accused the NPF of speaking with a “dangerous double tongue”. While the party repeatedly promised an “early solution” at public meetings, he alleged, it continued to demand fresh talks at the ministerial level, a proposal he claimed had already been rejected by the Centre.
He also referred to purported remarks by the BJP Nagaland president that the regional party lacked an agenda, and recalled the BJP’s 2018 promise of “election for solution”.
Therie said the NPF was surviving on “life support” from the BJP and argued that, after seven years of waiting for the BJP to deliver on its promise, President’s Rule had become the only remaining option.
In his assessment, Therie said the prime minister was ready to implement a settlement and required only the cooperation of the state government.
He argued that the circumstances provided sufficient grounds for proclaiming President’s Rule, particularly as the NPF had already committed itself to “paving the way” for an honourable solution.
He said the Centre could now act on that commitment following the conclusion of the political talks.
Therie also accused the state government of failing to discharge its constitutional responsibilities, particularly in maintaining law and order.
He alleged that internal disturbances in Nagaland and Manipur had continued unchecked and claimed that state agencies had been forced to compromise with insurgent groups and collect commissions for various factions.
He further alleged that the NPF and its alliance partners were compromising the state’s interests, security and economy.
As a party to the political process with the Government of India, Therie said the state government was expected to represent stakeholders, consult them and work out details acceptable to them. He alleged that it had instead failed to follow directions issued by the Union government under Articles 355, 356 and 365 of the Constitution.
Therie also alleged that the government had failed to properly enforce public order, which falls within the state’s legislative domain under Article 246 and the Seventh Schedule, as well as the special constitutional framework under Article 371A.
He further accused the government of failing to implement the ILP and Register of Indigenous Inhabitants of Nagaland provisions “justly and without bias”.
Therie maintained that the removal of the then interlocutor and governor, RN Ravi, along with repeated mandates given to the NPF, had weakened prospects for an early settlement and diminished the political will of the central government.