Dimapur, April 22 (EMN): The Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) has stated it was astounded by what it said was ‘politicising issues on religious lines’ by the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) and its president K Therie.
The NPCC president had earlier accused the chief minister and his legislators of going against Christianity and the principle of ‘Nagaland for Christ.’
In a press release issued on Monday, the NDPP stated that statements by Therie—“one of the most seasoned and veteran politicians in the state”—only highlights the state of his mind and his precarious position, “considering the fact that he has decided to play politics on religious lines that goes against the very fundamental principles of the party he heads in the state.”
The party termed it unfortunate that the Congress and its president in Nagaland “has decided to sell out those very fundamental principles of the party” just to stay afloat in a sinking political scenario.
“A democracy that bases its foundations on secularism holds no place for leaders that try and polarise the people on religious lines which Mr. Therie and the NPCC is desperately trying to do today.”
According to the NDPP, the NPCC and its president have cast aspersions on the integrity of the legislators and the chief minister without any documentary proof or evidence.
“The extent to which Mr. Therie has accused the legislators and the chief minister is nothing short of a criminal offence amounting to defamation; and if the NPCC president cannot provide the evidence to substantiate his accusation then he should be prepared to face the court since neither the leaders nor the members of the NDPP will take such insults that contravene various sections under the IPC and the CrPC of the Indian laws.”
It demanded a public apology from Therie. “It is questioned from the NPCC president to clarify publicly as to what he means by ‘huge gratification’ and on what grounds does he allege that the chief minister has ‘defaced Nagaland for Christ.’ These are very serious allegations levelled at the highest office in the state and the person responsible for making these immature utterances will and should be held responsible if he cannot provide the necessary proof for making such allegations.”
For Therie and his party to accuse that the seven NPF MLAs and the two former NPP MLAs “were paid INR 5 crore each with promise of portfolios”—as circulated on various social media platforms — only prove that they were bereft of any politics and ideology; and would rather rely on false and fabricated stories that appear on social media, it stated.
“The MLAs had on their own accord decided to merge with the NDPP since their party, the NPP, had refused to listen to their pleas of not fielding their party candidates to the Lok Sabha and the by-elections…However, since their requests were denied, the two MLAs decided to merge with the NDPP after informing the party of their intensions of doing so.
“Thereafter, unlike the NPCC president who has time and again changed his political colours before dusk becomes dawn, the two erstwhile NPP MLAs Mr. Imnatiba Jamir and Mr. L Khumo Khiam boldly entered the folds of the NDPP in broad daylight in the knowledge of their erstwhile party, the NPP. Therefore, the question of huge gratification or the promise of portfolios nor does the case of secret arrangements arise since the two MLAs had themselves decided to join the NDPP on their own accord.”
It is not too long ago, the party reminded, that Therie as finance minister had bungled up the state’s finances and incurred huge deficit in just two years, despite the fact that the then Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee had erased the state’s deficit of INR 365 crores; and gave a special package to the then DAN-I government, in which Therie was the finance minister.
“Perhaps the huge deficit that the state is presently reeling under can be attributed to Mr. K Theire, since it was during his tenure as finance minister that the state incurred huge deficit from a zero-deficit budget for which he could not convince the members of the 11th House of the huge financial mismanagement and had to be ultimately dropped from the council of ministers.”
It stated that the NDPP would never resort to “politics of religion and neither will we succumb to false, malicious and fabricated allegations but continue to uphold the democratic secular institution of this country and its people.”
The party also condemned the multiple bomb attacks on churches and hotels in Colombo. “The world today holds no place for such senseless and mindless terror attacks that affects the very fabrics of peace and harmony amongst humanity.”
