Kohima, Feb. 6: The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) on Monday blamed the NPF-led DAN government for the present imbroglio which arose out of the state government’s decision to hold the ULB elections without proper consultations with the people and advocated that President’s Rule would be the best solution for the people of Nagaland at this juncture.
Addressing a press conference this afternoon at the Congress Bhavan, NPCC president K Therie said the government has completely failed to understand the people, resulting in complete breakdown in governance.
“If the elected government is not sensible, sensitive or responsive to the people’s voices, then they are unfit to rule… They should understand that they have now lost the moral support of the people and the moral authority to rule the people,” Therie said.
On the state cabinet’s recent decision to go to Delhi to recommend exemption for Nagaland from the Constitutional municipal provisions, he said such a step will embarrass the people of Nagaland. He explained that since the Nagaland Municipal Act is an Act of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA), and since the NLA has not ratified the Constitution’s 73rd Amendment, it is not “our law” but that the NLA only adopted it. He asserted that it is the prerogative of the state Assembly to remove, scrap off or amend the unnecessary provisions regarding the Part IXA of the Constitution on the special provisions granted to it by Article 371A.
Therie said the NLA needs to understand the powers of the Parliament and the powers of the state- the Union List, State List and Concurrent List. Stating that above the State List, Nagaland has a privilege on the provisions of the Article 371A which gives the NLA the sovereign power to make any law.
“Therefore, since the Nagaland Municipal Act 2001 is an Act of the state Assembly, it is the prerogative of the NLA either to remove, scrape or amend the Act. Thus, the question of even making a resolution (2012) in the state Assembly expressing that it will encroach Article 371A was not warranted,” he stated.
Maintaining that these are some of the errors of the NPF-led DAN government that “we find very embarrassing”, Therie scathingly said, however the legislators under DAN will not be able to understand how to set things down. He added that is the reason why the NPCC is of the view that the best solution will be to impose President’s Rule and go for early elections, so that the new house with fresh mandate will develop consensus on various issues including the ULB issue.
He said the present volatile situation shows a complete failure of the government as it had failed to understand the Nagaland Municipal Act and in turn, failed to explain the issue to the people. If it did, he pointed out, there would not have been any crisis leading to death and destruction.
“NPCC hopes that the Governor will apply his mind and see to the safety of the people and also restore governance in the state,” Therie said.
Also asserting that the welfare of the people should be the final law, he said the state Congress is of the opinion that there should be consultation amongst the various stakeholders to develop consensus.
There are 82% literate people in Nagaland, the government of the day should come down to the ground and consult with the people, he said.
On the consultative meetings with tribal bodies that the chief minister has convened, Therie said, “I am happy they are consulting the NGOs, but they have never thought of consulting the political parties so far”.
When asked if the NPCC sees the ramifications in case President’s Rule is imposed, particularly the potential intensification of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), he said AFSPA has been around for a long time now and it would depend on the manner in which the police and the administration deal with the security forces.
On the PCC’s stand on women reservation, he said providing 33% of seat reservation to women is the sanction of the state but nominating 33% of women candidates to contest is up to a political party and the congress standing by this equation, is always on the lookout for capable women candidates.
