Dimapur, November 24 : Independent MLA Thomas Ngullie on Thursday walked out of the Assembly in protest against the revocation of the September 12, 2012 Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) Resolution regarding 33% women reservation.
When the motion for consideration and adoption of the resolution for revoking the 2012 resolution was moved by Parliamentary Secretary for Municipal Affairs R Tohanba during the proceeding of the House, Ngullie stood and expressed his reservations on the manner the State Assembly was trying to revoke the earlier resolution of 2012. He said the previous government took up the issue and it was debated, and a select committee was constituted, who had, after collecting the opinions of all the tribal Hohos and concerned Naga civil societies, after thorough deliberations, brought the resolution to the House for approval.
“I am sure the then chairman of the select committee convincingly articulated and the House agreed to pass the resolution on September 22, 2012. Today we are hurriedly talking to revoke that. I don’t understand the reason why,” Ngullie stated. He felt that if a mistake was committed in 2012 while passing the resolution, then the government should go back to the people.
“In the same manner how the resolution came to pass, we should also constitute a committee, admit our mistake and go back to the people and explain where we have gone wrong,” he said.
“To my understanding, there could be some reasons, a hidden agenda, which we cannot disclose to the people,” he added. He said if the reasons for revoking the resolution were due to pressure mounted on the head of the leadership from certain angle or to get monetary benefit from the Centre or to strengthen their political party, it would go against the wishes of the Nagas. Maintaining that the 60 MLAs were there to protect the interest of the Nagas and the coming generations, he voiced his strong objection to revocation and threatened to walk out.
Chief Minister TR Zeliang interrupted the MLA and demanded to know if he considered himself as part of DAN or not. Zeliang said what the MLA sought to know would be clarified, however, instead of walking out, he (Ngullie) should listen to the clarification.
Stating that the present House of 60 is considered an “opposition-less” government, the Chief Minister maintained that Ngullie could say what he wanted to, but if he was walking out, he should clarify whether he is in the opposition or in the ruling bench.
To this, the MLA replied the way the House was treating him was “worse than opposition” and he would not mind calling himself the opposition. His remark was later expunge d by the Speaker.
Ngullie stated he was there for the Nagas and for the interest of the Nagas. He asserted that when he walked out in protest against revoking the 2012 resolution alone from the Assembly, the “entire population of the Nagas” would “walk the talk” with him.
He said the issue was a very important, sensitive as well as a controversial one, on which, he had written several times in the local print media. He pointed out that, surprisingly, the highest office (CMO), instead of addressing the issue which he had raised, made him the issue itself.
“When the wisdom of the leadership go out of track, it is dangerous for the society,” he exclaimed and as he walked out, he asked if there were any “bravehearts” in the House to follow him.
