EMN
DIMAPUR, JANUARY 21
Former Parliamentary Secretary for Higher Education, Deo Nukhu today switched side (from the Kaito group) and joined the TR Zeliang camp. However, the NPF led by Noke Wangnao accused the NPF (Shourhozelie group) of using armed persons to kidnap Deo Nukhu.
“This morning, in the early hours, when Honourable MLA Shri Deo Nukhu was taking his daily morning walk, armed elements forcefully kidnapped him from Dimapur and transported him to Kohima to join the minority group under the minority Chief Minister T R Zeliang and the former NPF president, Dr. Shurhozelie. After being taken to Kohima, he has been made to sign documents and make statements under duress against his will,” the NPF (Noke group) alleged.
“This press release is being issued to inform the Naga public and let the people know what the minority Chief Minister Shri T.R. Zeliang is resorting to in his shameless greed to cling on to power despite the fact that he no longer enjoys the mandate of the people,” it stated.
“We strongly believe in the integrity and commitment of Shri Deo Nukhu that he is behind the leadership of Shri Noke Wangnao and Shri G. Kaito Aye. He has given this commitment in written documents and legal papers to the Honorable Governor, to the NPF President and to the Election Commission of India,” it added.
According to the NPF (Noke group) statement, Deo Nukhu has also met the Governor on two occasions to uphold his written commitments. As an elected member, ‘we trust that his commitment still holds firm but it is most condemnable that T. R. Zeliang has resorted to such criminal act to kidnap an elected member using armed elements and underground cadres’. Such type of nefarious activities and horse trading is a dangerous trend that is bound to have far reaching consequences, for which T.R . Zeliang is fully responsible, it said.
“We urge upon the minority Chief Minister and the former NPF president Dr. Shurhozelie to immediately release the kidnapped MLA and also release the other honourable MLAs who are held under forced captivity from the former president’s Oriental Grand hotel immediately, it demanded. Such type of captivity and kidnapping is not only illegal and criminal but it is also undermining of the people’s mandate and suppression of the people’s voice, the statement added.
Meanwhile, NPF (Shurhozelie group) spokesperson Yitachu confirmed that Deo Nukhu reached their camp at de Oriental Grand to support TR Zeliang. Earlier, Yitachu had said that once the ‘confined’ legislators are set free they would surely come to support the leadership of TR Zeliang.
Meanwhile, the NPF (Shurhozelie group) said the stalemate created by some of the NPF legislators camped at Sovima, Dimapur since quite some days now has been greatly jolted with Deo Nokhu, having ‘managed to escape’ and join the ‘mainstream’ NPF in Kohima, having experienced a harrowing time at the rebel camp.
The NPF (Shurhozelie group) claimed that at an informal meeting with him here at Kohima and being asked if he had anything to convey to the people, Mr. Deo Nokhu coolly said, “After much struggle, we have made T.R. Zeliang Legislature Party Leader just 7 months ago. I feel that it’s too early to destabilize the NPF led DAN Government in the interest of the people of Nagaland and for the greater interest of the NPF party for the unity of the Naga people. I feel that the unity and cooperation of the NPF party should not be broken, and I feel that the Church leaders and right thinking people should also help for reconciliation of the NPF party”.
Meanwhile, the NPF, Shurhozelie group’s central youth wing whole heartedly welcome the ‘bold decision taken by our MLA Deo Nukhu for returning to the mainstream.’
Indeed, it is a victory of the people of Chizami assembly constituency. The bold decision taken by Deo Nukhu is appreciated and it is the work of God to escape him from the clutches’ of power mongers, it said.
“While welcoming back home the NPF Youth Wing also strongly hopes that the others legislators who are confined in the Sovima camp will also follow suit,” it expressed.
“It is unfortunate that the rebel camp is keeping some of the legislators under forceful confinement at Rio Villa much against their will and promising them with all false hopes by some of the leaders. The NPF Youth Wing appeal s all legislators at Rio Villa to come back to the party mainstream so as to provide stable government to the people of Nagaland,” it appealed.
