Dimapur, April 8 (EMN): The Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party has questioned the sanity of opposition Naga People’s Front—“in what wisdom have the opposition come to such an illogical conclusion since no sane person or organisation will demand an investigation by filing a complaint themselves if they are guilty of a crime”—even as the political slugfest over the circulation of alleged fake letters continues.
“The allegations by the opposition parties and their leaders that the forged documents were deliberately circulated by the NDPP in order to lure the two NPP and seven NPF MLAs is nothing short of insanity. Let it be reminded that the leaders of the NDPP are not children but are seasoned politicians who will never resort to such childish and amateur politics unlike the leaders of the opposition parties who change their political colours and identity like the seasons of the year.
“The NPF should be the last ones accusing anyone of having a trust deficit when the whole world knows why and how the numerous political upheavals took place in the last four years of the NPF-led DAN regime. Perhaps the leaders in the opposition parties especially the leader of opposition and the NPCC president have also forgotten the sacrifices made for them by the chief minister when they were down and out. Their memories may be selected or short, but the people’s memories are not,” read a statement from the NDPP on Monday.
It stated that the press & media bureau of the NPF and the NPCC president seem to have suddenly become “graphologist” and experts at deciphering handwriting and signatures since they have alleged that the forged signatures on the fake documents belong to the chief minister and the NDPP president.
“The allegations made by the opposition parties have been seriously noted and if they cannot substantiate their allegations with concrete proof and evidence, they should be prepared to face the court since these allegations directly pertain to slander and libel as it is tarnishing the image of two of the most prominent public leaders of the state. It is also put on record that the allegations that their seven MLAs were lured is also nothing but a wild fantasy since those seven members came on their own accord since they disagreed with the principle and stand of their party in not fielding a candidate for the Parliamentary elections.”
The fact that their candidate to the 26-Aonglenden by-election withdrew his candidature only proves the disillusionment of the party rank and file with the policies and ideologies of their leaders, it stated.
“It is also difficult to comprehend the logic behind a party with 26 elected representatives supporting a candidate who belongs to a party that does not have a single representative in the House of the people. The stand of the NPF as stated by their party president Dr. Shurhozelie Liezietsu on the 30th of March, 2019 in the party meeting at Kohima ‘that there is no alliance between the Congress and the NPF now or even in the future and that they are supporting the Congress candidate only for the current elections as a onetime affair’ is a mockery to their supporters and party functionaries, leave alone the public since this is an arrangement that is bereft of politics or ideology.
“All right thinking citizens should question this stand of the NPF, the oldest regional party in the North East as to how they intend to carry the voice of the people in Parliament with this arrangement if at all the Congress candidate is elected?” it stated.
It also expressed shock at the shocked at the statement made by the NPCC president in Dimapur whereby he had stated that “if the Congress forms the government with the help of the coalition, then the non-Nagas will be able to enter the municipal or assembly either by election or as nominees”.
“This has exposed the double standards of the Congress and the “coalition” since this statement itself refutes their stand that the Congress and NPF are coming together to fight a common cause – CAB! Perhaps the NPCC president while calling it a ‘coalition’ in his excitement of gaining the support of the NPF has forgotten the words of the NPF president and the stand of the NPF party ‘that there is no alliance with the Congress’.
“The Congress president and the party must and should clarify this statement their stand as to how they are going to let non-Nagas contest or be nominated either to the Nagaland Legislative Assembly or to the municipal councils. This proves that the Congress’ agenda is to take away the rights and privileges of the Nagas and give those rights to others thus going against the very sentiments of all Naga people. The opposition parties have now no right to speak against the CAB and question the stand of the government when they have publicly declared their willingness to sell the rights of the Nagas for the benefit of garnering votes!”
NPF seeks clarification
The Naga People’s Front has asked the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party to “immediately clarify” whom the latter had meant by “adversaries” when reacting to the circulation of an alleged fake letter in social media.
Recently, the NDPP had pointed fingers at “adversaries” for the circulation of what it stated was a letter bearing forged signatures of the chief minister and the president of NDPP.
“What cannot be ruled out is the fact that the documents bear the signatures of Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio and NDPP President, Chingwang Konyak. Either the documents were genuine and were leaked or otherwise, the list containing the names of NPF MLAs to be inducted as cabinet ministers and advisors brings to conclusion that efforts were made by the NDPP Party to lure more NPF MLAs into their fold by exhibiting plump portfolios in printed form. There is no smoke without fire,” read a statement from the NPF on Monday.
It stated that the decision of seven NPF MLAs to support Neiphiu Rio and the withdrawal of NPF candidate in Aonglenden by-election were all stage-managed from the private residence of Neiphiu Rio at Sovima, Dimapur and the recent imbroglio only raises the doubt on whether the documents originated from the same place.
“The letter addressed to INC national president, Rahul Gandhi, is nothing more than a ploy to confuse the Naga people to gain leverage in the upcoming Lok Sabha election. Having witnessed that the NDPP candidate is losing ground, the woeful insecurity of the NDPP party is manifested in the said letter (sic), in all its glory,” read the statement.
