Don’t jump the gun on CAB—NDPP to NPF

Dimapur, Oct. 17 (EMN): Political slugfest over the controversial Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) resumed on Thursday with the ruling NDPP advising its rival NPF not to jump the gun but rather, acknowledge its shortcomings and apologise to the people of the state for betraying their confidence. “The NDPP is left baffled at the comments of the opposition NPF who have once again raked up the issue of the proposed CAB 2016 which has already been discussed threadbare amongst all sections of society including the apex platform of the people, the Nagaland Legislative Assembly. Not only have thorough discussions been undertaken but a series of resolutions rejecting the CAB have already been passed which sadly does not have the participation of the opposition NPF for reasons best known to them,” stated a press release from the NDPP. After having purposely boycotted such important meetings, the party stated, it was unbecoming of the “so-called oldest regional party” to pass the blame on to the chief minister and the PDA government. “It is true that the CAB was proposed in July 2016 in the Lok Sabha and referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee the next month. The then government under the leadership of the present leader of opposition did not raise even a whisper of opposition, nor did the then Cabinet mention it even in passing unlike the present Cabinet under the leadership of Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, which had discussed the issue threadbare four times in a short period of time. “This fact cannot be denied by anyone! Also, rather than attributing all its political misfortunes and its ineptness to hold the reins of then Government capably to the then MP Lok Sabha and present chief minister, it would do well for the NPF to accept the grim reality that in the absence of Neiphiu Rio from state politics there was a vacuum of capable, charismatic and efficient leadership in the state,” read the statement. It stated that despite its conviction that Article 371(A) and the strict implementation of the ILP regime would protect the people of Nagaland from the proposed CAB, the apprehensions of the people, civil societies were taken into consideration, and the PDA government had, on various occasions, taken up these concerns with the central leaders. “We are grateful today that the central leadership has taken our suggestions into consideration and acted positively…The opposition NPF has accused the PDA government of shying away from its responsibilities both inside as well as outside the NLA. “Perhaps the short-term memory of the opposition fails them that it was in fact their elected representatives who staged two walkouts during question hour of the 3rd sitting of the 13th NLA. Therefore, when the ‘principal’ opposition party behaves in such an immature manner inside the people’s house, it is indeed questionable as to who is actually shying away from their responsibilities!” it stated. The party further suggested NPF to stop teaching the PDA government on good governance. “After all, what more can be said when the general public, totally disenchanted with the then leadership of the government, especially in the aftermath of the ULB fiasco, when the whole state machinery disintegrated for weeks, commented that the then chief minister could be trusted with the enormous responsibility of running the government as much as a child can be trusted with a loaded and cocked assault rifle!” it stated.