Dimapur, July 5 (EMN): The Naga People’s Front (NPF) has asked Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio to give the ‘reason for his declaration that integration is not possible anymore.’ A statement from the party on Thursday also asked why Rio had to ‘succumb to external forces thereby compromising the future of the Nagas.’
It stated that the chief minister ‘blaming the media for misquoting his statement was an excuse to escape the glaring eyes of the public’ and claimed that ‘video clippings and other documentary proofs’ were in public domain.
According to the party, the ‘Naga public have every right to question the chief minister under what circumstances or obligation the PDA (People’s Democratic Alliance) government have bargained with the central government the long cherish dream of the Naga people.’
“The NPF also expresses its total dismay at the fourth time chief minister, Neiphiu Rio for avoiding further clarification on the controversial Citizenship Amendment Bill 2016, adding Naga people wants to know on what ground his government will not oppose the Bill that has caused an uproar in the country,” it stated.
The NPF asked the chief minister as to which clause of Article 371 (A) protect Nagas from the Citizenship Bill and how far has it protected the Nagas during the past 55 years. It claimed that the party was not raising those issues for the sake of publicity stunt ‘but because the safety and security of the Nagas is at stake.’
