Dimapur, Jan. 12: Joint Action Committee on Women Reservation (JACWR), in its emergency meeting held in Dimapur, resolved to urge the government to complete the election process to the municipalities and town councils as per the directive of the Interim order from the apex court.
The JACWR has condemned the undemocratic use of force, intimidations, threats of banishment by some tribal organisations in stopping filing of nominations of candidates including women candidates for the municipal polls in the towns of Kohima, Mokokchung, Tuensang, Medziphema and forced withdrawal of candidates in some other towns.
JACWR convenor and president NMA, Abeiu Meru, and the co-convenor and advisor NMA, Dr. Rosemary Dzuvichu, have questioned the sincerity of some elected representatives of the people, who after having passed the First Amendment of the Nagaland Municipal Act and later at the request of the tribal bodies passed the Second and Third Amendments in the successive Assembly sessions accusing them of losing all sense of Constitutional allegiance and adherence to law by agreeing to withdraw bonafide candidates, who are now eligible for the polls after scrutiny of their nomination papers.
JACWR, meanwhile, placed on record its appreciation on the courage of those Naga women in the face of such stiff resistance by coming forward to exercise their democratic right to file their nomination as candidates for the forthcoming polls.
“The number of women candidates who had filed and were ready to file nominations in all towns in Nagaland proves beyond any doubt that Naga women are ready to take up such responsibilities of leadership.” The joint statement said. “We also uphold the democratic rights of women as equal citizens and as human beings under the Constitution. We are not trying to fight with men, we are seeking that our Constitutional rights guaranteed to us under the Constitution, the Parliament and passed by the Nagaland State Assembly is given to us. It is most unfortunate that the issue of reservation for women in municipalities has been wilfully misinterpreted and politicised by vested interests,” it lamented.
It recalled that in May 2011, the JACWR was formed with leaders of the Naga Mother’s Association, Eastern Naga Women Organisation, Watsu Mundang, Tenyimia Women Organisation and the Naga Women Hoho Dimapur, to pursue reservation for women in Municipal and town councils. It said when a large delegation of Naga women leaders representing different tribe women apex organisations met the then chief minister Neiphiu Rio, he expressed his helplessness in the opposition by the tribal bodies but encouraged the Naga women leaders to seek justice in court and committed that he would implement if an order was brought from the Court.
Subsequently in June 2011, a Writ Petition was filed in the Gauhati High Court, Kohima Bench. However, it alleged that after getting the Judgement order from the Gauhati High Court, Kohima, in favour of women in October 2011, the then chief minister did not keep his word and his government dragged Naga women to the Division Bench in Gauhati. When the Gauhati Bench gave time to the Government as requested to review the reservation, JACWR was left with no option but to seek justice for constitutional rights in the Supreme Court.
JACWR said reservation for women is implemented in all municipalities and town councils in different parts of the country in various states. It pointed that in major cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkatta and down south and in the northeast like Tripura, 50% is reservation for women. Likewise, it said neighbouring states like Manipur, Assam, Sikkim has 33% reservation for women.
Meanwhile, JACWR has appealed to the tribal organisations to remember their Christian ethics and desist from exposing themselves to the outside world with such unchivalrous behaviour, threats and unbecoming statements. As Naga women are bona fide members of the respective tribes, JACWR said it is against the inherent and essence of Naga culture to declare a war on women, that violates democratic principles and fundamental right. It said the kind of threats and intimidations to candidates emanating from such respected apex tribal bodies in the last few days have brought great shame to the Naga family.
JACWR also urged the State government to stand by its commitment to uphold and protect the Constitutional rights of Naga women. It further urged the elected legislators to remember they are the guardians of all citizens including women in the state.
