Dimapur, May 21 (EMN): The Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) has stated that it cannot remain a mute spectator to the “double standard politics” of the Naga People’s Front (NPF) since the people need to know the truth behind the “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” nature of the NPF.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the NDPP asserted that the NPF “as a seasoned political party” should not involve themselves in “child-like politics” by declaring it will sever ties with the BJP in Manipur only after the Lok Sabha elections.
“Does the opposition NPF actually take the Naga people for fools and that they will not see through their doublespeak? The NPF should not try and fool the people by saying that whether they pull out their support to the Biren Singh led BJP alliance now or after the counting is the same thing. It is not! The two have two very different connotations in the political world!
“It is very clear from their decision to wait for the counting to be over before severing ties with the BJP that they want to keep their option open in the eventuality of the BJP once again forming the government in Delhi! It will indeed not come as a surprise if the NPF goes back on its decision once the BJP-led NDA forms the government at the centre since the past track record of the opposition precedes them! The politics of the NPF have reached such a low point that they seem to have lost all maturity and sanity of a political party, leave alone the tag of being the ‘oldest regional party’,” read the statement.
On the NPF accussing the NDPP of “practicing dictatorship,” it retorted that NPF has been so blinded by the dictatorial functioning of its leadership that they believe the same of every other political party. It demanded the NPF to provide evidence to their accusation of NDPP practising dictatorship.
It also suggested that the president of Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) K Therie and the NPF should first reassure themselves that their current “alliance of convenience” would still be there after the results are declared on May 23.
“The NPCC and its president should in fact seriously ponder on the current decision of the NPF since it only proves that it takes only a snap of the fingers for the NPF to decide to sever ties with a party which has stood with them through the years come rain or sunshine.”
It questioned if the Congress party feels as strongly about the CAB issue as its state unit, why had none of their leaders in the high command made any serious mention of the CAB throughout the campaign period all over the country. “Is it the case that the Congress high command silently wants that the Bill be passed while keeping its Nagaland unit in the dark? Or is the NPCC aware of the stand of their high command but are not prepared to reveal it to the people of Nagaland?”
The NDPP also stated that the statement issued by Dr. Shurhozelie Liezietsu “seems to be rife with contradictions and lies.”
“It is most unfortunate that an octogenarian, and one of the most seasoned and veteran politicians not only in the state but also in the North East, instead of enjoying a comfortable retired life bereft of the nitty-gritty of politics, has decided to continue to attack the ruling government and its leaders with false and misleading facts and statements.”
On his statement that the NPF’s association with the BJP was there since 2003, the NDPP asked him to clarify his claim in the past that NPF and BJP have been natural allies since the inception of Jan Sangh, the precursor of the BJP in 1977.
It also reminded that contrary to the NPF chief’s claim of the BJP having eight MLAs in 2003, records show only seven. “He has also made mention that in 2013 there was one elected member from the BJP. However, he has failed to mention that in 2014, with the BJP forming the government at the centre, three erstwhile NCP members merged with the BJP.
“Dr. Liezietsu has very conveniently decided not to mention the fact that those 3 MLS who merged with the BJP, who were very much part of the government, were unceremoniously disqualified from the 12th House of the NLA at his behest thus playing with the lives and careers of three peoples’ elected representatives as per his whim and fancy.”
On his claim that the NPF had supported the BJP government in Manipur taking into account the Naga political issue, it asked whether the NPF ever issued any whip/directive to their MLAs in Manipur to take up the Naga issue in their Assembly.
“Has the NPF party directed its MLAs or issued whip to move any resolution in support of integration of Naga inhabited areas in the Manipur Assembly? Has the NPF given any request to the Manipur government to pass any resolution in the Manipur Assembly pertaining to the Naga issue? If such have not been done, then why take the Naga issue as an excuse to support the BJP government in Manipur?”
It also sought to refresh public memory. “In the past, Dr. Shurhozelie has stated time and again that he will never accept the Congress booklet authored by NPCC and Dr. SC Jamir ‘Bedrock of Naga Society’ saying that unless they apologise and reject the booklet, Nagas will never forgive them. But today, he has led his party to have an alliance with the Congress and Dr. SC Jamir, to the extent of his party sharing the same platform with the Congress and Jamir and himself casting his vote for the Congress.
“History will remember all these facts. He should not speak of supporting the Naga political issue when he has already compromised his position on the booklet that has been declared by all Nagas led by the civil societies as being against the Naga interest and a betrayal of Naga history. It’s a double betrayal when he gave the NPF ticket to former Congress member Mr. Apok Jamir, as NPF candidate in the by-election to the lone Lok Sabha seat followed by extending support to the Dr. SC Jamir-led Congress party for the just concluded general Lok Sabha elections.”
On the NPF chief’s claim that he had once contested the MP elections as an independent candidate in order to defreeze the ‘cock’ symbol, the NDPP termed it as the biggest example of a person taking credit for something he did not do. “It is beyond absurd to even suggest that he contested as an independent with bus symbol to salvage the cock party.”
It stated that the false statements of the NPF president need to be collaborated with the leader of opposition. “The NPF and its leadership continues to stand by its leader of opposition who has told the greatest lie to all Nagas and the entire country when he misled everyone with his false claim of educational qualification.
“The entire NPF party led by its president did not utter a single word against the then Chief Minister and present leader of opposition when it was proven that he had lied about his educational qualification. The Naga people and the country are still waiting for the leader of opposition to fulfil his statement that he will give the right statement at the right time!”
To judge who is right and who is wrong, the NDPP reminded, is for the people of Nagaland.
