EMN
Dimapur, March 6
The NPF party and legislators under the leadership of Noke Wangnao and G.Kaito Aye have demanded the chief minister and home minister to immediately step down, saying the State government under the present leadership is unable to deliver justice and all the tall promises of arrests and action will never happen under them.
“They must step down immediately and put in their papers.”
While condemning the rape of a young girl that reportedly took place on February 23, the party said, “We also hang our heads in shame in condemning the incidents that led to the lynching and murder of the accused and the manner in which the mobs were allowed to take the law into their own hands and carry out a gruesome murder that has done immeasurable damage to the image and reputation of entire Naga society all over the world,” said a statement issued by NPF Press and Media Cell.Stating that the rape incident had created a series of law and order problems where shops, business establishments and properties were vandalised by mobs, the statement said, the situation was worsening by the hour and there was anticipation amongst every section that the overall situation was about to explode. It however said, the State government continued to sleep over the matter and totally failed to carry outs its duties in the most miserable manner.
“No precautionary measures to improve the situation were taken by the government, the security placements in the State Central Jail, which is supposed to be the topmost security prison of the State where even NSA detainees are kept, was neglected. 144 CrPC was promulgated only on paper and not enforced in reality. T.R Zeliang Chief Minister and Y.Patton Home Minister mysteriously stayed away from the issue and did not even issued even a single appeal, leave along take precautionary steps.”
The NPF wondered as to why the chief minister had not taken the matter seriously and called the students community, the civil society leaders and representatives of women’s groups and win over their confidence ahead of the protests that had been planned.
“Instead the 144 CRPC was relaxed to allow the protest rally to take place, despite the volatile situation and the mob fury that had taken place the previous day. Why was the mob allowed to break into the jail and why was the accused handed over to the mob allowing lawlessness to take over.”
The accused was stripped naked and paraded on the National Highway for several kilometres while the State Government’s representatives helplessly looked on. He was lynched to death and his dead body was hung on the town square with thousands of people clicking photos and streaming it to social media. The shocking news, gruesome images and gory videos have been covered in all national print and electronic media. Even international news agencies like the BBC and UK Mail, etc have prominently covered the lawlessness that prevailed on the streets of Dimapur, the nerve centre of Nagaland. The ramifications of the series of incidents that have taken place in the past few days will be enormous. The damage that the incidents have caused to the reputation and image of Nagaland and the Naga people here and around the world is irreparable. We are all shamed.
The NPF pointed out that even in the communal clashes that took place in Tuensang, the State government had miserably failed to perform its duties. Lawlessness was allowed to take place and the government’s agencies could not contain the law and order situation, it said and added, Chief Minister and the Home Minister mysteriously failed to show up.
“In contrast, when the Chief Minister and the Home Minister were keen to inaugurate oil exploration in Wokha, despite the protest of the students fraternity and civil society, the government’s police forces were used to lathi charge the people and curfew was forcefully enforced so that the Chief Minister and the Home Minister could reach Wokha by helicopter and officially attend the launching programme of the oil exploration. Was this done because the oil exploration was to benefit them personally?”
“Why are the Chief Minister and his home minister shying away from facing the people when situations of law and order arise? Why were precautionary measures not taken in advance to avoid the shocking and embarrassing incidents that took place on 6 March, 2015, when everybody knew that the situation was turning worse by the hour?”
The NPF lauded Home Commissioner for speaking the truth, where he has admitted that the State government has completely failed and that it is responsible for the shameful incidents. “It is the poor, absent, irresponsible and spineless leadership that has led us to this situation.”
“Why are the Chief Minister and the Home Minister away in Delhi running after their personal projects and schemes in Delhi when the State is burning? Why has he not issued even a statement of condemnation, shame or embarrassment, when entire Naga society is hanging our heads in shame?”
The statement said it is no longer tenable for the Chief Minister and the Home Minister to continue in office any longer. “They are fully responsible for all the incidents that have taken place. They are responsible for the total breakdown of law and order. They are responsible for the damage to the image and reputation of the State and our people around the world. They have failed in their duties and their responsibilities. T.R. Zeliang is a spineless chief minister who is merely being remote controlled by others and the destiny, future and cause of Nagaland and its people is being compromised every minute that he shamelessly occupies the chair of chief minister.”
