NTC flays CM’s tacky response; assures a fight

EMN DIMAPUR, SEPTEMBER 11 THE Nagaland Tribes Council (NTC) on Thursday ridiculed chief minister of Nagaland TR Zeliang for making tacky comments in response to the council’s public rally that held in Zunheboto on September 9. The council, in a statement today has assured the chief minister that with “the people, the sons of the soil” will fight the sinister designs of “people in power” especially in regard to vested development projects and “outsiders” being legitimized. In its press release the NTC defies the chief minister to respond to a number of queries on the controversial Nagaland Special Development Zones (NSDZ) and the issue of granting recognition to the Rongmei community as a “tribe of Nagaland.” “It is amusing at the first glance but sad to examine the mindset of no other than the chief minister of Nagaland who consider the democratic process of forming an opinion on the most crucial issues which are of far reaching consequences on the people as ‘meaningless exercise,’” the NTC stated in the press release. The NTC has posed these questions to the chief minister: “Are Rongmei recognition and NSDZs issues meaningless? Was the Rally held at Zunheboto Town meaningless? Is the initiative of the NTC and the logical response of the citizens of Zunheboto Town meaningless? What kind of benefit the Rongmei tribe recognition offer to the Nagas of Nagaland? Is NSDZs for development or for accommodation of outsiders in a small state of Nagaland? Is the chief minister stands for the Nagas of Nagaland or outsiders?” The council said it was always prepared for any discussion, consultation or debate on issues of common interest under any banner. “NTC does not have any inhibition. We are prepared for the consultative meet if invited officially,” the council said, and assured to endeavour to reach out to all sections of Nagaland to sensitize them on any issues affecting them. However, the council took strong exception at the Nagaland Government’s “attempting to stab the citizens from behind.” In the case of Rongmei tribe recognition as indigenous tribe in the state of Nagaland, the State “quietly formed a committee whose recommendation was later ignored and had taken political decision on the advice of an officer together with Naga Hoho’s recommendation for and on behalf of the ‘Nagas of Nagaland’. “All these while the people and the stake holders were kept in the dark till the matter received Governor’s assent and published in the form of notification,” the NTC disclosed. In regard to the NSDZs, the NTC disclosed that the concept paper was approved by the cabinet and circulated to the deputy commissioners of Mon, Longleng, Mokokchung, Wokha and Dimapur on January 6 with instructions to negotiate with the civil societies for identification of the area brought under the zones. There was further disclosure in the press release: “In some districts, No objection Certificates (NOC) were already obtained from the villagers. Resolution for setting up of Nagaland Special Development Zones (NSDZs) was adopted in the Nagaland Legislative Assembly on March 24, 2014 and subsequently, the Chief Minister placed budgetary provisions in the last budget session. What is most unfortunate here is the Chief Minister trying to play down the importance of Nagaland Legislative Assembly resolution as if no final decision has being taken as yet.” The council stated that the NSDZs could have been smoothly implemented with the silent approval of the civil societies as with the Rogmei tribe, had it not been for the council which brought the matter to the public domain. “As for NTC, we will take the people, the sons of the soil on board to fight all the sinister designs of people in power till the wishes of the people are fulfilled,” the council added.