Zeliang’s leadership has grown manifold: Yitachu
Dimapur, Feb 28: Nagaland Education Minister and Minister in charge of Manipur NPF, Yitachu said former Chief Minister of Nagaland TR Zeliang was cornered from the Supreme Court angle which was on the verge of delivering a verdict which could have gone against the cherished Article 371 A, and from some civil organisations which expressed apprehensions that holding of ULB polls would go against customary practices of the Naga people, but that as a leader he had boldly decided to pre-empt the Supreme Court ruling and went ahead with the elections. This was stated in a press note issued by Media & Press Bureau, Naga People’s Front, Central Office.
“As head of the Government, he decided to go by Constitutional obligations and if he desired he could have held on to his seat by making use of Central forces which the Centre offered. But as a true Naga leader he chose to step down so as to prevent the Naga society from going into more turmoil. But as a result of this supreme sacrifice he made, his leadership has grown manifold in the eyes of the legislators as well as the people of Nagaland. I am confident that he will soon come back to lead us one day,” Yitachu told a massive gathering of NPF functionaries and supporters at Tamenglong today.
Yitachu recalled how he along with former Chief Minister TR Zeliang went to Yangon as Chief Guest in a major international function involving India, Myanmar and Thailand at which he spoke extensively on the prospects of the Government of India’s Act East Policy and the urgent requirement for better road connectivity to improve trade and commerce among the South East Asian countries.“The success of the Act East Policy of the Government of India will largely depend on the participation and involvement of the tribal people of the Northeast,” Yitachu said and appealed to the people of the region to open up their minds and extend full cooperation to the noble and grand ambition of the Government.
Yitachu also reminisced upon the reaction and emotion of the Nagas of Myanmar when he, along with former Chief Minister TR Zeliang, accompanied the then Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio to Myanmar and raised the issue of the plight of the Nagas of Myanmar with the Government of Myanmar.
Yitachu further recalled how TR Zeliang, when he was the Member of Parliament Rajya Sabha from 2004 onwards, had frequent meetings and interactions with visiting Myanmarese officials including the Mynmar Ambassador to India to impress upon them to give a better deal to the Nagas of Myanmar.
“It was largely through the initiatives and efforts of TR Zeliang that the Naga people of Myanmar were recognised as a people of the country through a Constitutional amendment in 2008,” Yitachu said.
“The Nagas of Myanmar said they thought there were no tall Naga leaders to take up their cause with the Government of Myanmar and many cried with happiness that we had asked the Government of Myanmar to treat the Nagas there fairly and recognise them as a people of the country,” he said.
“Our experience in Myanmar has further made us more resolute in our determination to make the presence of NPF party felt in Manipur,” he said and went on to point out that if NPF get majority in the Hill areas, the party can play a big role in implementing in totality the provisions of Article 371 C which provides special dispensations to the Hills peoples of the State.
“However, left to itself, the Government of Manipur under the present ruling dispensation will not look after the welfare of the Hills people and so we must ensure that we get majority in the Hill districts,” he said.
“NPF alone can bring peace and tranquillity in Manipur. NPF can bring the true ideals of democracy to Manipur. We are in the process of creating History. Each of you sitting here today is a part of that history. Reach out and bring all others who are not here today to be part of that history we are creating,” Yitachu extolled.
Earlier, Achumbemo, Spokesman of the NPF Party, extended the greetings of the NPF President and Chief Minister of Nagaland Dr Shurhozelie Liezietsu to the people of Tamenglong.
He urged the people not to vote for the BJP because the party and its extreme wings are against Christians in the mainland.
He also urged the voters not to vote for the Congress since “the policies and programmes of Chief Minister Ibobi Singh are divisive and against the tribals and minority communities of the State.”
Achumbemo said the NPF represents the true sentiments ad aspirations of tribals and other communities of the Hill areas of Manipur and appealed to the voters to cast their votes for the party which stands by them and shall continue to stand by them.
