DIMAPUR, NOVEMBER 5: Lotha Students’ Union (LSU) has supported the statement made by the Lotha Hoho (LH) on the sacking of Mmhonlumo Kikon from the Parliamentary Secretary berth over possible connection to the oil issue and the PIL filed by the Lotha Hoho.
While agreeing with the CMO that a minister, parliamentary secretaries and advisors hold office during the pleasure of the Chief Minister, the Union said the manner in which Kikon was sacked as Parliamentary Secretary, if related to the PIL filed by the LH, was extraordinary and unprecedented as it is not Kikon but the LH that had filed the PIL.
The union alleged that beginning from the day in which the PIL was filed by the LH, State government has been using unscrupulous methods to coerce the LH to withdraw the PIL which is an affront on the democratic principles and negates the constitutional rights of the citizens.
Quoting Black’s Law dictionary, it said a PIL is a legal action initiated in a court of law for the enforcement of public interest in which the public or a class of the community has pecuniary interest or some interest by which their legal rights or liabilities are affected. It said any citizen of the country is at liberty to file a PIL if they feel that their rights, entitlements or public interest has been subdued or infringed by private or public decisions which go against established constitutional rights. A press statement issued by the union president Amos Odyuo and the general secretary T Phyobemo Kikon said the right approach for the State to confront the PIL would be within the walls of the court and not elsewhere.
Secondly, it said the PIL filed by Lotha Hoho was not an overnight decision. It said series of representations and requests were submitted to the State government to rectify anomalies in the NPNGR 2012 and to review its decision in awarding permit to the controversial and inexperienced firm called MOGPL as the Lothas believed that its resources which has been preserved for centuries cannot be left to blunder by a firm that has no resources, manpower, or operational skills in petroleum industry. It lamented that instead of addressing the genuine concern of the people, the government chose to forcibly launch the exploration process by imposing repressive 144 CrPc. It said LH filed the PIL only after exhausting all other possible means.
The Union warned the government not to mislead the public with false propaganda or to induce its citizens monetarily stating not all citizens would succumb to such inducement and false propaganda.
Referring to media report on October 31, in which MOGPL was alleged to have invested around 10 crore for the project in Changpang and Tssori areas of Wokha district, the union has sought clarification from both the MOGPL and the State government as to where the money has been invested as there are no visible signs of investment being made by MOGPL in Wokha district.
