Dimapur, Feb. 3: Lok Sabha MP, Neiphiu Rio, today refuted the statement of the NPF accusing him for the total breakdown of law and order and prevalence of chaos in Nagaland, which he said was ‘shocking and totally false.’
On the contrary, Rio held the State government and the NPF leadership responsible for the current turmoil in failing to listen to the voice of the people.
Rio recalled that in 2012, when he was the Chief Minister, the tribal hohos, civil societies and mass based organisations had vehemently opposed to the conduct of ULB elections in Nagaland on the pretext that doing so would infringe upon Article 371 (A) of the Constitution. Heeding to the call of the people, Rio said the Nagaland Assembly instituted a Select Committee of which TR Zeliang was the Chairman and Dr. Shurhozelie was a member amongst other members. He said the committee recommended to the Assembly to move a resolution not to conduct ULB elections as it would infringe upon Article 371 (A).
Accordingly, he said the Nagaland Assembly passed a unanimous resolution, supported by even the opposition, rejecting conduct of the elections and implementation of reservations for women.
‘After my departure, the State Government made its intention clear that it would conduct ULB elections which was opposed by the civil societies, traditional institutions and tribal hohos. The hohos made appeals and even issued ultimatums to the State government,’ Rio said.
Rio added that on the eve of the assembly session too, the hohos issued ultimatums and warnings to the government, which apparently fell on deaf ears and a resolution was passed in the assembly revoking the 22nd September, 2012, resolution against the wishes of the people and passed a resolution accepting Part IXA of the Constitution for 33 percent reservation on November 24, 2016.
Stating that different sections of Naga society voiced their resentment to do the rethinking after the resolution was passed, he said the State government issued notifications to conduct the elections to which the masses responded with peaceful protests and agitations.
He said the State government instead of initiating dialogue and understanding by taking the people into confidence decided to undertake the path of confrontation and antagonised all the sections.
‘The civil societies welcomed the mediation of the church and signed an agreement with the State government to withdraw the agitation with the State government assuring that it would postpone the ULB elections. But to everyone’s surprise the government went back on its word and once again betrayed the commitment, including the church. This resulted in final provocation of the people, resulting in the death of two precious lives and injury to dozens in police firing,’ Rio said.
Stating that the above mentioned circumstanced were just few examples of series of events wherein the people and the civil societies had given sufficient warning to the State government not to go ahead with the ULB elections, Rio said every citizen of the State could see that the State government has undertaken the path of confrontation with different sections. He said a simple glance at the local print media clearly indicates that the State government was opposed to almost every section.
‘There is no doubt in the minds of the people that the State government and NPF leadership is completely responsible for the total breakdown of law and order and their attempt to pass the buck holds no water,’ Rio claimed.
Stating that the need of hours was for the government to take the people into confidence, Rio advised the NPF leadership not talk about the people’s mandate saying every right thinking citizen of the State knows ‘whose mandate this government is enjoying.’
Rio said by blaming him or anybody else for the chaos which they have created, the NPF leadership is undermining the wisdom of the civil societies and tribal hohos. Terming the present turmoil as a mass people’s movement based on the clarion call of the traditional institutions, Rio said to hold responsible for the present chaos was completely untrue and exposes the mindset of the NPF leadership.
‘This statement is not being issued against anybody but it is aimed at bringing out the factual position of the decision taken during my tenure as Chief Minister when we passed a resolution to protect Article 371(A) by listening to the voice of the people, whereas the present government had revoked the Assembly resolution of 22nd September, 2012 and passed a resolution on 24th November, 2016 against the wishes of the people which has resulted in bloodshed and loss of precious lives,’ Rio said.
Rio further rejected the statement of NPF as it undermines the people of Nagaland in every regard. Staing that people are the best judge, he said any amount of blaming others will not convince the intellect of the Naga public.
