Govt betrayed the people of Nagaland thus leading to breakdown of the Constitution
Kohima: With the deadline given by tribal bodies for Chief Minister T R Zeliang’s resignation set to expire on Friday, the agitating Nagaland Tribes Action Committee, Kohima and Joint Coordination Committee urged him to step down on moral grounds, threatening “extreme” steps and “consequences” if he failed to do so.
In a statement, the organisations asserted that stepping down on moral grounds from office can be the only rational action by the CM that will mitigate the loss of lives, injuries and destruction of property that had taken place in the wake of Urban Local Bodies (ULB) elections in some areas on February 1 with 33 per cent reservation for women.
In a serious threat, the statement said on expiry of the deadline, people of the state will be left with no other option but to resort “to the most extreme step and the consequences arising out of it will be borne entirely by TR Zeliang and his cabinet.”
Accusing the Zeliang-led cabinet of having commited “treachery”, the two organsiations said that the tribal body Hoho, which had given him a 3-day ultimatum, is sticking to the demand that Zeliang step down from the office of the Chief Minister.
“The issue at hand is not a constitutional matter but a plain moral issue of owning up and acting upon it,” the statement said.
The move comes after Zeliang met Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi on Thursday where he explained to the Centre about how the state government was determined to fulfill its Constitutional obligation of holding ULB polls with 33 per cent reservation for women.
According to Nagaland officials, Zeliang told Singh that he had initiated the election process after several tribal organisations expressed support to holding of ULB polls with reservation of seats for women, and claimed these bodies took a U-turn since announcement of poll dates.
The Political Affairs Committee (PAC) of Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee on Friday criticised the Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) government in the state for “betraying” the people.
Deliberating on the ongoing impasse between the state government and the Naga people, the Political Affairs Committee (PAC) of the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) at a meeting, viewed that DAN government has “failed” to listen to the people.
“The government betrayed the Joint Coordination Committee, Nagaland Baptist Church Council and the people of Nagaland, thus leading to a complete breakdown of Constitution in the state,” the NPCC PAC said.
Upholding the demand for imposition of President’s Rule in Nagaland, the PAC of the NPCC also suggested total amendment of the Nagaland Municipal Act 2001. The suggestion was made as a resolution of the PAC of NPCC meeting held on Friday at Congress Bhavan, NPCC general secretary Medokul Sophie said.
The NPCC PAC said that since Nagaland Municipal Act is an Act passed by the state Assembly, there is no reason why DAN government should approach the President or Prime Minister for an ordinance to exempt Nagaland from the purview of Part IXA of India Constitution.
It also said that “any such misadventure may infringe upon Art 371A of the Constitution, which guarantees special provisions for the Naga people”.
The PAC of the NPCC also resolved to send a delegation to Delhi to apprise AICC on the present situation, Sophie said.
It reiterated the Congress stand to continue to endeavour to solve the Naga political problem through peaceful and constitutional means and serve as a bridge between Naga national groups and the Central government.
It also lamented about the fact that “60 MLAs in the state Assembly have come together assuring the public to bring about Naga political settlement, but instead they have divided Nagas into sections and have miserably failed to bring a solution”. (PTI)