Dimapur, Feb. 1 (EMN): The two major political parties from Nagaland—NDPP and NPF—are engaged in yet another war of words following a dig at the NDPP’s symbol and motto by the NPF chief Dr. Shurhozelie Liezietsü during his party’s central executive council meeting on Jan. 31.
Liezietsü said NDPP is not a regional party as their name and symbol suggests. “This party is not a regional party. They own the globe (NDPP symbol) to be their empire and as such, they have no programmes for Nagaland. You are aware that, in the past, many political parties were setup in Nagaland without any political ideology by some political leaders in Nagaland just to contest elections. These parties were set up for sheer power and money.”
He also accused the NDPP of stealing the motto of St. Edmund's college in Shillong, "Facta non verba.”
On Friday, the NDPP issued a rejoinder calling the NPF chief’s statements “immature.” It expressed surprise that “one of the senior politicians and a former chief minister of the state” would make statements “unbecoming of his supposed stature.”
“Since he has spoken of the motto and symbol of the NDPP, the question also arises as to what is the symbol and motto of the NPF. Are the NPF motto and symbol uniquely indigenous? Isn’t the NPF motto of “fide non armies” a Latin phrase used in the “coat of arms” and also the motto of Lord Gambier used much before the NPF was even born. Likewise its symbol of cock is a universal symbol used by several organisations, institutions and even countries.
“For example, the cock is still the symbol of France, a country that existed centuries before the ever-name-changing NPF was born. Moreover, the NPF flag is a reversed French flag. As per the NPF president’s philosophy, thousands and thousands of organisations and institutions including the NPF who use foreign languages like Latin, French or Greek for their motto will have to seek permission and copyright. People living in glasshouses should not throw stones at others,” it stated.
It reminded Liezietsü that he was “unceremoniously” removed as chief minister after his own party members went against him. “In fact, he had even failed to show up in the floor of the assembly when asked to prove his majority and was embarrassingly dismissed by the governor. The very person who led the backstabbing and dismissal of his chief ministership today sits beside him as his leader of opposition.
“And likewise, he was also responsible for the removal of his party chief minister and he himself grabbed the chair despite not being an elected member of the assembly. With back stabbers against each other sharing the same bench, the NPF president would do well not to speak of the alliance or partnership of the PDA. Let us also not forget that the NPF president has called his own legislature leader “Heraka Boy”. Today he sits on the same side as his “Heraka Boy” who he had so termed in black and white for history to record.”
On his criticism of the BJP and the central government, the NDPP reminded Liezietsü that he and his party were in alliance with the BJP “only yesterday.” Even during his few weeks of chief ministership, he had BJP ministers in his cabinet, it stated.
“Why then is he accusing the BJP today? After condemning the BJP and heavily criticising the BJP in the assembly elections, did the NPF not desperately try to befriend the BJP again in its desperation to form government? The NPF campaign against the BJP in the parliamentary elections too is still fresh in public memory but the NPF leaders still try to lure the BJP. But the BJP is a mature party running the affairs of the country and it respects the mandate of the people unlike the NPF leader.”
It stated that the NPF chief has forgotten the role of a constructive but focused only on regaining power. “If they compare the manifestos and vision documents of the NDPP and the NPF, since the NPF president questions the vision and action plan of others, it is also questionable what are his achievements, landmark policies and programmes, new initiatives and ground breaking developmental visions during his leadership and chief ministership apart from being the most unceremoniously removed chief minister of Nagaland due to his own party rank and file.”
It reminded that two persons, who have removed and replaced each other as chief minister, lead the NPF today. “The games they played with each other, the betrayals and connivance against each other is all still fresh and the details are all known to everybody.”
