Says government lost contact with the people
Kohima, March 24 (EMN): Chief Minister Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu on Friday articulated his view on the several issues faced by the State government including the recent imbroglio resulting out of the government’s decision to hold the election to Urban Local Bodies (ULB) with 33% reservation of seats for women.
Participating in the debate on the motion of thanks on the Governor’s address at the ongoing Assembly session and also winding up the debate as leader of the House, Liezietsu said the House should admit that the recent agitation in regard to ULB polls has shown that the government had lost contact with its people to a great extent.
He maintained that it may not be proper to translate things on the lines which some legislators expressed in the House: that the recent violence and agitation was an accumulation of the anger of unemployed and frustrated youth.
“While the government is doing something good for the people, it is the responsibility of the citizens to understand their responsibility, and therefore, it is not fair to allow a group of people to go on without observing the law of the land,” the chief minister observed, while also underscoring that the elected members must keep close contact with the people.
He pointed out that both the State government and the organisations opposed to the civic elections claimed of trying to protect Article 371A.
“Those who opposed the elections say that women reservation in ULB will infringe on the Naga customary practices, which are protected by Article 371A. On the other hand, the State government opines that if we refuse to conduct ULB elections with women reservation as mandated in Article 243T of Part IX A of the Constitution and also in our own state Municipal Act, merely on the ground that Article 371A overrides all other Constitutional provisions, the Supreme Court in connection with the pending case filed by Naga women organisation, may give an adverse ruling and interpretation of the Article 371A of the Constitution, thereby jeopardising other related issues mentioned in Article 371A, such as issues of ‘land and its resources,’ which are very dear to the Nagas,” Liezietsu stated.
Towards this, he stressed on the need for proper dialogue and discussions on the ‘sensitive issue. He said as the process of ULB election held in the early part of this year had been declared null and void by the State government as well as by the State Election Commission, the State government will initiate the process of dialogue and consultations on this issue, so that a broad consensus is arrived at in order to enable the state to move ahead in the matter of ULB elections.
On the international border fencing, chief minister Liezietsu expressed that the Government of Nagaland and the Naga people were in one accord on the issue of Indo-Myanmar fencing in Nagaland sector. He pointed out that the Indo-Myanmar boundary cuts right across the ‘eastern Naga homeland’ and thus, even if much cannot be done at the moment to change the international boundary, he assured that the State government will do everything possible to see that the traditional right of the Naga people to move about freely within their own ancestral land is not taken away, or unduly restricted. Any attempt to divide the Nagas will have adverse effect on the peace and security in the border areas, he asserted.
ROP for State govt employees
On the issue of implementation of new revision of pay (ROP) following the demand of the CANSSEA to implement 7th Central ROP w.e.f. April 2017, Dr. Shurhozelie said the government will decided after careful consideration of all aspects including the State’s financial position and discussions with the CANSSEA. However, he informed that CANSSEA is yet to accept this offer.
In this matter, the chief minister reminded that pay revisions for government employees were normally done every 10 years in India, both in the Centre and in states. However, he pointed out, while the state government had its first ROP in 1970, 1980 and 1990, the CANSSEA in 1998 started demanding implementation of the Central ROP viz the 5th Central ROP of 1996.
“After a series of negotiations, the ROP was notionally effected by the State government w.e.f. 1998, but actual implementation was done w.e.f. April 2000. More or less the same formula was followed by the State government while implementing the 6th ROP, which was actually and effectively implemented w.e.f. April 2010 with one month’s pay bonus. So, technically speaking, the next ROP for the State employees is due only in 2020,” Liezietsu stated. But this time, the State government has decided to advance it by two years, and to start implementing the new ROP from April 2018, he added.
Towards this end, he appealed to State government employees and their associations to understand the constraints of the State government and accept a practical compromise “with good grace” on the basis of discussion with the cabinet sub-committee members.
Youth employment
On youth employment matter raised by several MLAs during the debate, the chief minister highlighted that the government will intensify its efforts in expanding opportunities for gainful employment for the state’s youth as envisioned in the Nagaland Vision 2030.
He also explained that the Personal Information Management System (PIMS) launched on April 21, 2016, once activated in all the departments, would analyse information on government employees including their overall strength- department wise, district-wise and office-wise, and would help in monitoring the growth and management of government employment. Liezietsu said the State government has banned all contract and adhoc appointments without following due procedure vide P&AR department’s office memorandum dated 6th June, 2016.
“Any irregularity brought to the notice of the government, which is not in conformity with the government policy, will be looked into and rectified. We will also try to ensure better transparency and fairness in all appointments to government services,” he added.
In regard to concerns raised by one of the MLAs on the need for rightsizing of government work force, he assured to ask the Manpower Rationalization Committee headed by the Chief Secretary to recommend corrective measures for managing the manpower in a better manner, especially in the major departments such as Police and Education.
On Naga political issue
While appreciating the members of the House for sharing their concerns on the Naga political issue during the debate, chief minister Liezietsu stated that the Naga political history as of now is not a pleasant one unless concerted efforts were put in to see that things were put back in the right perspective.
He reminded the House that 2017 is the centenary year of the Naga forefathers who had fought in WWI in France under the aegis of Labour Corps, and informed that the government is trying to decide on a particular day to mark the anniversary in their memory.
The chief minister pointed out that the awareness of the Nagas as a people was awakened by those who joined the Labour Corps and went to France, when they came back and formed the Naga Club in 1918. The Naga Club is credited with having submitting the Naga memorandum to the Simon Commission in 1929.
Liezietsu also recalled the formation of the Naga National Council (NNC) in June 1946 at Wokha by the same people, and maintained that the real political movement had begun since then under the leadership of AZ Phizo. He said the Naga people suffered ‘untold miseries’ in the 1950s with nobody to speak to or nobody to speak for the people during which, the Naga people lost more than 3 lakhs precious lives.
Bringing to the notice of the House that it was only the Nagas who suffered then while the whole NE region was peaceful without any talk of politics, he pointed that today. He said there were more than 50 militant outfits in the region.
“We don’t know the political agenda of those groups, but the Naga problem is different because we have our history… and that history has been recognized by the government of India as a unique history today,” Liezietsu stated, adding it was too early for the Nagas to forget the sacrifices and sufferings of the 1950s.
He admitted that young leaders in the Centre may not know the Naga history and may think otherwise, but Naga history is a political one, deserving of a humane approach.
Narrating his recent visit to the national capital with former CM TR Zeliang and some few others, where they had met the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Interlocutor RN Ravi, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju, and PMO NSA Ajit Doval, Liezietsu said the Naga leaders team had spelled out that the Naga issue be resolved soon.
“This party (NPF) and this government fully support the ongoing peace process,” he stated, adding that the support is appended with the provisions “honourable” and “inclusiveness”.
As a party, he said the NPF is very transparent on its stand in resolving the Naga political problem.
“We have been playing the facilitator but now it is felt that that alone is not sufficient,” Liezietsu said more aggressiveness is needed to be applied to tell people “the truth” and further advocated for hard talks with all the factions.
This is the reason why the erstwhile political affairs committee has been rename into political affairs mission, he reasoned. “We feel that we have to go on a mission mode,” he said.
The ideologies and opinions of the people might differ but the goal is one, he maintained, and called for concerted efforts.
He observed that with all the 60 members carrying the mandate of the people, if they all came together, they could bring all sections of people together.
The chief minister thanked all the participants during the debate for their contributions and suggestions on various issues, and assured that they be taken due note of for follow up actions.
