Haidobabe Hingleu, NET Correspondent, Nagaland
On August 19, the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) through a press release has slammed the consultative meeting organized between the Nagaland Government and tribal bodies, conducted on August 18.
Held in the State Banquet Hall, CM’s residential complex, Kohima, NPCC stated the meeting yet another sham exercise led by the ruling government, which had conveniently outsourced policy making decisions and governance issues to 14 tribal Hoho’s of Nagaland.
Under the pretext of Naga political solution, with NPF joining the bandwagon to form Nagaland United Government (NUG), the intensity of political gimmicks will increase while common people continues to suffer without any end in sight, the press release stated.
Going by the speeches of the CM and others as reported in media and what transpired in the consultative meeting, NPCC asserted that they’ll now no longer stay mute spectator because the state authorities and its selected cronies preserve their indulgence in fooling people with no hesitation. Since regulation making in Nagaland has shifted from Nagaland Legislative Assembly to State Banquet Hall and all 60 elected members have abdicated their duty to focus only on raiding state exchequer.
Dimapur-Peren Boundary Issue
The state authorities had already set up committees in the past, whose reviews are already with the govt. documents. Instead of taking decision that is what the authorities is mandated to do, it has thrown the ball into the court of 14 tribal hoho’s, the NPCC stated.
It further stated that state government is completely liable for permitting inter village disputes on boundary demarcations to take the form of inter tribe dispute by turning blind eyes to diverse instigators perched on a few CSO platform in the first place.
Rather than taking action in opposition to those instigators, the state authorities has washed off its hand and shifted the obligation on these 14 tribes which will be counterproductive. The state authorities is consequently warned to recall this mindless choice.
RIIN
When the Banuo Commission has held exhaustive consultations with numerous tribal hohos, civil societies, pressure groups and different stakeholders before filing its report to the authorities. However, seeking opinions of civil society organizations or going for multiple round of consultations is only a ploy to put off and thwart the implementation of RIIN, feels the NPCC.
Therefore the NPCC condemned the state authorities for its double standards and called for RIIN to be implemented with Dec 1, 1963 as cut-off date without further delay. The press release from NPCC asserted that in spite of forming opposition-less govt, Rio backtracking on RIIN is another sign of cowardice as he was the one accountable for developing the idea of RIIN, however is now parroting about his concern for different residents of India, thereby diluting the very reason of having RIIN.
Women reservation in ULBs
The NPCC said that the discussion on women reservation in ULBs without having representation from any women bodies from the state is an insult to women folks of the state.
It further alleged that four years have passed after the violence, and during ULB agitation in 2017, the state government had failed to book those instigators and perpetrators of violence. Wherein reminded the marks of this incident is still fresh in the minds of the people.
The press release further stated that as long as Nagaland remains part of Indian Union, constitutional obligations must be fulfilled and sourcing twisted opinions or interpretations on legal components of women reservation. Its applicability in Nagaland through Article 371A will not address the discrimination and betrayal to women folks of the state.
