Chief minister’s office says Ao Senden quit notice ‘do not behove an apex tribal organisation’
Dimapur, Jan. 10: The clans – in more ways than one – have gathered. On Tuesday, the chief minister’s office (CMO) issued a 4-sentence statement declaring that the Ao Senden decision to banish Nuklutoshi Longkumer – a legislator and member of the state cabinet – from Ao territory does not ‘behove an apex tribal organization’.
According to the CMO statement, the cabinet ‘expressed deep concern on the contents of the (Ao Senden) resolution’ that decided to serve quit notice to Nuklutoshi “from Ao territory using un-parliamentary language like ‘so called minister’.”
“It must be understood that a minister is a duly elected member of the Legislative Assembly by the electorate and has taken oath under the Constitution of India. The contents of the resolution do not behove an apex tribal organization,” the chief minister’s office claimed.
8 Ao legislators flays Ao Senden
In a separate statement, eight Ao legislators have expressed ‘shock and surprise’ that the Ao Senden had used “such un-parliamentary words like ‘so called (sic) minister’”, which according to them, demeans the status and office of a minister.
According to the statement, the eight legislators had ‘convened an emergency meeting at Dimapur on Tuesday ‘and decided to issue this joint statement in view of the decision of the Ao Senden’ on Monday last.
“In the present issue, it must be understood that it was not the decision of an individual minister to conduct the elections to the urban local bodies in Nagaland, but was the collective decision of the government. It is however the bounded duty of members in the government to uphold such decisions,” it stated.
According to the eight legislators, Nuklutoshi – “the minister in charge of Mokokchung district” – was discharging his duty in his official capacity and not acting in his personal interest.
“Therefore, while the relationship between the legislators and the civil society organisations like the Ao Senden has always been cordial and good where discussions and dialogues has always been the norm in resolving any issues in the past, the Ao legislators fail to understand as to why in the present case the Ao Senden has taken such a hasty and harsh decision upon one of its bonafide member over an issue that pertains not only to one single community but to the entire people of Nagaland.
“It is therefore the request of the Ao legislators to the Ao Senden to reconsider and rethink its decision of 9th January 2017 in order to maintain the cordial relationship and collectively serve our people,” the statement read. It was appended by C Apok Jamir, Imtikumzuk, S Chuba Longkumer, Dr Benjongliba, Dr Longri, Merentoshi R Jamir, Dr Imtiwapang and Amenba Yaden.
Nuklutoshi’s village backs him
The entire citizens of Chuchuyimlang village – from where Nuklutoshi hails – have “in no uncertain terms” rejected and condemned the Ao Senden order to banish the minister. This was decided in a meeting between Chuchuyimlang Senso Mongdang (citizens’ assembly) and the Riongsanger Putu Tatar Salang (village council), according to a press release.
“We demand from the Ao Senden within three days from the issue of this letter, the reasons basing on which the ultimatum was issued to our esteemed citizen. Till a convincing response is received from Ao Senden, Chuchuyimlang village and its citizens will remain disassociated from Ao Senden. During that course of time no citizen of Chuchuyimlang village will participate in any activity of Ao Senden,” it stated.
Turning the tables on Ao Senden, the statement said that ‘till a settlement on the issue is arrived at’ any untoward incident involving Nuklutoshi would be the sole responsibility of the Ao Senden. “Till an acceptable response is received from Ao Senden, Nuklutoshi will not leave Ao territory.”
The Mokokchung division of Naga People's Front (NPF) on Tuesday stated that it finds ‘no justification in singling out’ Nuklutoshi when – according to the party unit – all government machineries were “operative to conduct” the municipal elections.
“All government employees are duty bound to serve and follow the instructions of the government, the minister who is in charge of Mokokchung District is duty bound. That, the NPF Mokokchung division finds no justification in singling out the minister, when all government machineries are operative to conduct the Ms (sic) elections.
“At the end of the day, not a single NPF candidate filed their nominations on the 9th of January 2017 as desired by the Ao Senden. Basing on the above, the rank and file of NPF Mokokchung division denounce the 'quit notice' given to the minister and fervently appeal to the Ao Senden to revoke the same at the earliest,” it stated.
