Dimapur, Feb. 8: Even as the chief minister on Tuesday told reporters at Kohima that he could not understand why the people of Nagaland were demanding his resignation, the Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) has reminded Zeliang that he was “well-qualified” to step down since he has lost the moral right to remain as the chief minister of Nagaland.
While delivering the qualification jibe, the JCC members told a press conference on Wednesday that it will intensify the bandh in the entire state if Zeliang fails to step down as demanded.
Convener of JCC, Supu Jamir informed that the JCC and the NTAC have resolved not to attend the ‘consultative meeting’ called by Zeliang on February 9 “so as to avoid another betrayal” at the hands of the chief minister.
“Needless to say that the NBCC has been blatantly cheated by TR Zeliang and his council of ministers which manifest that the present government is against the wishes of the people and Christian ethos,” he said.In a letter addressed to the commissioner and secretary to the chief minister, the NTAC has also informed the two organisation’s decision not to attend said meeting.
‘Two wrongs cannot make one right’
On the ‘apology’ given by the chief minister at the Kohima press conference, the JCC members said Zeliang was simply indulging in doublespeak. “As per his statement, he apologised to the JCC and the NBCC. But in the same line, he is alleging the JCC and the NBCC for (sic) not understanding which itself manifest that he is not fully aware of the meaning of apology,” said Supu.
He said that Zeliang should ‘speak straight to the point’. “Apology comes only when the person concerned makes mistakes. So if TR Zeliang tenders apology, then he should come out from his inward mind without any ulterior motive as a leader of the state”.
But the chief minister, he pointed out, had ‘tendered apology to the JCC and the NBCC coupled with unjustified and unreasonable allegation’. “Mr TR Zeliang should know that two wrongs cannot make one right”.
He also said that the JCC ‘at no point of time’ had accepted or agreed (to) 33% reservation for women during the January 30 meeting. “Therefore, TR Zeliang should not manufacture any fabricated statement to confuse the Naga public.”
While maintaining that there was ‘absolutely no room’ for the chief minister to blame the JCC and the NBCC ‘for the blunder committed by the state government’, Supu said that Zeliang should ‘not go back to the January 30 agreement as it has been nullified by the deliberate inaction’ of the state government.
JCC consultative meeting on Feb. 9
The JCC has invited representatives from all the Dimapur-based tribe hohos and youth organisations, Diphupar village council and Diphupar Naga Youth Organisation, Youth Association Nagaland, Western Sumi Kukami Hoho, and all the GBs, chairmen/chairperson of colonies and villages in Dimapur to a consultation on February 9. The meeting will be held at Chakhesang Hoho building at 3 pm.
It was also informed that the department of Post has also been exempted from the purview of its bandh on government offices.
Dimapur Naga Youth Front has organised a candlelight memorial in honour of the two slain youths – killed in police firing on the night of January 31 – at Supermarket, Dimapur on February 9. The programme is scheduled to start from 4.30 pm, and participants have been requested to carry one candlestick each.
