Dimapur, June 16 (EMN): The Naga People’s Front (NPF) has accused the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) of ‘defending’ its master Neiphiu Rio and “diverting pertinent issues concerning the Nagas into cheap publicity game.”
A press statement from the NPF on Saturday stated that the regional party, ‘being the parent regionalist political party of the state,’ was only concerned about the 'destiny' of the Naga people. “We are certain that the leaders in the NDPP will shift their loyalty anytime and will be no more in the political map of Nagaland tomorrow.
“The NPF wonders as to how the NDPP is trying to defend the instant issue (sic) where Rio on 12 June 2018 has clearly declared in New Delhi to the Media that Naga integration is not possible and PDA government will not oppose the Citizenship Amendment Bill 2016,” the statement read.
It asked the chief minister to ‘point out under which cause of Article 371 (A) is Nagaland protected from the Citizenship Bill’ and whether the Nagaland cabinet has gone through the contents of the proposed bill.
“The NPF demanded the chief minister himself to come out clearly as to why he opposes the integration of the Naga people and also support the Citizenship Bill and invite the influx of the illegal migrants into the Naga soil to swallow the Nagas and turning Nagaland into another Tripura state where the tribal is minority at present.
“Regarding the two above pertinent issues, the NPF feels that the Nagas NGOs and civil societies should also raise their opinion either negative/positive as the party believed that it is the collective effort that can protect and defend the destiny of the future of the Naga people.”
Regarding the peace process, the NPF stated that ‘Rio after vacating his chief minister seat and left for Delhi, the NPF government has indeed accelerated the peace process by taking a giant step and constitute cabinet committee of political affairs mission and started working on mission mode by appointing G Kaito as minister of political affairs mission.’
“The Naga political solution being one of the top most priority of the NPF party has restrained itself from filing any nominations in the last assembly election by acknowledging the call given by the Naga civil societies seeking solution before election and for that the Centre has termed TR Zeliang as anti-national for not willing to participate in the election.
“However, the NDPP immediately entered into seat sharing with the BJP for the BJP is all out for the election with their slogan as ‘election for solution.’”
The regional party stated further that the NDPP’s allegation about the NPF endorsing the ‘Bedrock of Naga Society’ does not hold any water. “The NPF would like to remind the NDPP that any person/persons be it from any political parties joins the NPF party and subscribe by the constitution of the party and adhere to the party aims and objectives is an active NPF members.”
The party also ‘wondered why the NDPP bring up the educational qualification of the leader of the opposition again and again in the media which is a childish game as the matter has already been settled in the Supreme Court of India after it was challenged in the court of law by none other than Rio’s man.’
