Kohima Bureau
Kohima, Feb. 14 (EMN): Reacting to the charge of extortion against three officials in the Nagaland chief minister’s office (CMO) who were summoned by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for questioning, Chief Minister TR Zeliang on Wed. said, ‘This is not a new case’ and that the three officials would be going as summoned to explain their position.
Speaking to media persons during sidelines of a programme at Kohima, Zeliang not totally denying it as a politically motivated case said, ‘This is not a new case. Last year they have dropped the summon case and now they rack up the same issue.’
When the issue came up in the month of July and August during the previous year, Zeliang said he had clarified that the case had nothing to do with the CMO and that it had nothing to do with the NSCN-K or any other agency.
When asked about the identity of the three officials summoned by the NIA, Zeliang said they include OSD Rokovizo Chupfuo, Press Secretary Karaibo Chawang, and Kueiherang Zeliang who will go and ‘explain their position.’
Also when asked if his government had any report of people paying terrorists, he said unless the reports are submitted he cannot say anything as some departmental investigation have taken place in the Land Resource, Agriculture, Rural Development departments etc., is still going on.
On Nov. 21 during the previous year state government employees under the aegis of the Confederation of All Nagaland State Services Employees’ Association had undertaken a silent protest demanding that the central govt. withdraw the NIA from Nagaland.
Zeliang said that the matter had been reported to the Home Ministry as ‘some unwanted harassment’ had taken place. The ministry, he said, has been apprised that the NIA should function within their jurisdiction of assignment and hoped that they would abide by it.
On alliances
When queried about the National People’s Party and the Janata Dal (U) alliance with the NPF, Zeliang said that the NPF and NPP were already into an official alliance—the party is ‘sitting with the JD (U) this evening to officially finalise things.’
Although the NPF does not foresee the NDPP coming together with the NPF, Zeliang said it has not closed the door or severed ties with the BJP; it still has alliance with BJP. However, he added that it was up to the BJP to decide whether they wanted to ‘walk away or remain with NPF’ as an ally.
