Dimapur, November 1 : The Lotha Hoho has placed a number of queries before Nagaland Chief Minister TR Zeliang following the sacking of parliamentary secretary Mmhonlumo Kikon on October 28 and sought to know whether it was associated with the ongoing controversy over petroleum explorations.
The Lotha Hoho issued a statement on Tuesday assuring that it had no interest in either party politics. However, the organisation demanded to know if the sacking of the Lotha leader was in any way connected to the PIL against the Nagaland petroleum regulations and rules.
It has made clear that no Lotha leader, elected by the people, would be an “errand runner” for anyone.
The Lotha community apex has placed the following questions before the Chief Minister to answer: If the purpose of inducting Mhonlumo Kikon as parliamentary secretary was for him to pressurise and convince the Lotha Hoho to withdraw the PIL, the sacking is “ridiculous, since the PIL was filed only on the 3rd October 2015.”
How, the Lotha Hoho queried, could he commit to withdraw a PIL which was not yet thought of then, the press release stated. “The PIL was filed more than 5 (five) months after induction,” the organisation reminded.
“Is the LH being taken as a commodity for marketing; so that numerous agencies can do business in pursuing the LH to withdraw the PIL?”
Third, the Lotha Hoho sarcastically questioned if the sacking was “done as a visionary step, so that Lothas can be suppressed in border issues, without Mhonlumo Kikon, holding the charge of Border Affairs?”
Stating Kikon to be a leader of the Lotha people, the organisation assured that the Lotha people will stand by him as long as he does right for the Lotha people.
“He has been elected by the Lotha people to stand for their rights, protect them, lead them, do its welfare etc; and not to be the errand runner of someone. Let all Naga MLAs know that you are each the representative of a constituency and hence all MLAs are basically equal,” it added.
The organisation made clear that Kikon has not in any way discussed with it the anomalies in the NP & NG 2012 Regulations & Rules nor had he been in any way connected with the filing of the PIL.
“However, since no specific reason is spelled out by the chief minister, for sacking Mhonlumo Kikon, the Lotha Hoho is specifically asking the CM to clearly spell out the reason for sacking. If the reason for sacking is really the PIL, the LH fail to understand as to why the present DAN ministry is so hell bent on withdrawing the LH PIL against the NP& NG Regulations & Rules 2012.”
The organization also reminded that the MoGPL has been issued permit for petroleum explorations and development works within Wokha and Peren zones.
“So the LH would ask MOGPL to start the works at Peren, where there is no PIL. Why so particularly target Wokha zone? Why MOGPL cannot exhibit its efficiency at Peren?”