Bandh from Jan 27 if govt fails to postpone civic polls

Request to political parties not to provoke Naga public Dimapur, Jan. 23: The public rally called by the Joint Coordination Committee formed by several apex tribal organisations demanding the government to postpone the civic polls witnessed a mammoth turnout at the State Stadium on Monday and resolved to give the government four more days till January 26 to postpone or else face indefinite closure in the entire state. In what was termed by the Convenor of the JCC, Supo Jamir as like the "second Naga Plebiscite" all the tribes under the JCC sent a strongly worded message to the government to postpone the forthcoming civic polls in the state. The APO President Vilhusa Seleyi while addressing the crowd which he termed as a "historic gathering" lamented how over the years statutes protecting the Nagas have been dismantled. He stated that Nagaland was once under the External Affairs Ministry but within 10 years it was taken away. He also drew the attention of the crowd by citing the instance of the 23rd amendment of the Constitution wherein the total seats reserved for the Scheduled Tribes in the legislative assembly of Nagaland was removed paving way for general category seats. The acting president of the Ao Senden in his address stated that after talking about Naga unity for nearly 20 years he was pleased that the Nagas were finally united and that he was thankful to God. [caption id="attachment_94940" align="alignleft" width="300"] Tiala Sapu, formerly an intending candidate who withdrew from contesting the municipal and town council elections addressing the crowd, a section of it seen at the right, during a public rally called by the Joint Coordination Committee on Monday in Dimapur.[/caption] In his address, he stated there are some Nagas leaders who without knowing the rights of the Nagas and forgetting that the government was for the people are now trying to "bury the Nagas alive". Therefore all the tribal hoho should unite and try to find the Biblical "Jonah" who are responsible for the current imbroglio. The Convenor of the JCC minced no words when he stated that "Nagaland is above money, individual Naga is above party tickets and ULB elections is the right election but at the wrong time." He further requested all the apex tribal hohos that although their respective districts were "cleaned" unless Dimapur is not "swept", then the "meaning of the Nagas is not accomplished". The vice president of Naga Council Dimapur on behalf of the organisation also requested that the remaining candidates should withdraw as it was the will of the people. Three candidates of the Dimapur Municipal Council including a woman candidate who had earlier withdrawn or voluntary retired also spoke at the rally. The president of the CPO, representatives from the ENPO, Sumi Hoho, and the Lotha Hoho also spoke at the rally to show their support to the demand. Later while briefing media persons, the JCC appealed to all the political parties particularly the NPF and the BJP "to restraint their activities to provoke the Naga public". On the contention by the proponents of the Municipal Elections that Article 243T is a constitutional mandate and not an Act of Parliament, Supo was of the view that before anything is incorporated in the constitution an Act of the Parliament comes first. The JCC expressed their appreciation to the INC for withdrawing its candidates from the ULB elections. However on the issue of approaching the political parties, the JCC answered in the negative stating that it is not the right time since at present the tribal organisations are contacting the members of its respective communities to retire from the polls. It also discarded clarifications from government and political parties that the government in its latest amendment to the Nagaland Municipal Act 2001 stating that there are yet many procedural steps to be completed before it is finally incorporated into the Act. That having totally ignored and sidelined by the State Government the voice and aspiration of the people pertaining to the present imbroglio created by the Government's apathy and insensitivity, the JCC under the banner of NCD/CNTC comprising of Ao, Lotha, Sumi, Chakhroma Public Organisation, Western Chakhesang Hoho (WCH) including APO and ENPO, had staged a public rally on 23rd January, 2017 at State Stadium, Dimapur and had unanimously resolved to serve this memorandum.