Our Correspondent
Kohima, Oct. 27 (EMN): Against the backdrop of the dispute in Naga People’s Front (NPF) and the subsequent order of the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Oct. 17 last instructing the rivalling groups to settle the matter internally and the decision of the group led by Neiphiu Rio to file a review petition with the ECI on the same order, spokesperson of the Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu-led NPF, Achumbemo Kikon Friday said that the ECI order cannot be challenged as it was based on the same facts and figures which the party had produced in 2015.
Speaking at the fifth day of the indefinite dharna (sit-in protest) being carried out by the NPF central youth wing outside the Civil Secretariat Kohima, Kikon said the present crisis was a replica of the 2015 crisis within the NPF where the ECI gave a ruling on 27th Mar. 2015 instructing that the internal dispute in the (NPF) party be settled amicably within the framework of the party constitution. He said the commission in its order issued Oct. 17 last had clearly mentioned the 2015 dispute as a similar dispute as the present issue and accordingly, it has instructed for the conduct of a general convention as per the procedure laid down in Article XV of the party constitution for resolving the issue, within two months.“This (Oct. 17) instruction which has been dispatched through the senior principal secretary of the ECI is actually in pursuance to the verdict which has been pronounced by the ECI in 2015. It was not challenged or reviewed when it was passed. What were they (rival group) doing then?” Kikon questioned.
Kikon also pointed out the rival group had been claiming that ECI will ultimately decide the case regarding the claim of the party symbol, flag etc. and when Liezietsu’s group filed a civil suit in the civil court against the rival group for impersonation of the party president, misusing the party letterhead, symbol and flag, the court had stated that the case was not maintainable as it was already in the ECI’s court.
In the court they argued that the matter was in ECI’s hands and the court should not take up the matter, however now when the ECI gave an instruction that a general convention should be called as per the existing provision of the NPF constitution, they are saying they cannot accept the instruction/order issued by the ECI, Kikon scathingly remarked.
“Oct. 17 ECI order was in accordance, in consonance and in conformity with the judgement passed by the same commission in 2015. This was not challenged then and we have already acted upon it by conducting a general convention on April 30, 2015, where the election of Dr. Lieziestu and his team of office bearers was reaffirmed and it holds office till today,” Kikon said
“We have already acknowledged the order and in pursuance to that, we have even notified calling for a general convention which is slated to be held on 22nd Nov. 2017 here in Kohima,” he reminded.
He conveyed to the rival group to stop fooling the Naga people any further, alleging that they resorted to challenge the party was because they wanted to escape disqualification for defying the party whip. “They though if they took over the party, they would tell the court that the party was with them as they have taken over the party and therefore they should not be disqualified.... Unfortunately, they have failed,” Kikon said.
He however stated “everything is within our disposal and leaders who have gone to the rival group have failed to realize that they have taken the wrong path and it is getting late, Naga people have already realized that such leaders should not be followed”
He expressed confidence that Liezietsu-led NPF will triumph in both the case lying with the ECI and in the court
On the rival group consulting senior lawyers which was published in some sections of the local media, Kikon retorted that the group had asked irrelevant questions and failed to touch the core of the issue which was the origin of the whip. Stating that those senior lawyers have been misled by the queries of the rival group, he said the irrelevant answers will have no bearing in the case which is being taken up in the court.
NPF stand is consistent and it will continue so, with its top priority being a peaceful and honourable settlement of the Naga political issue. He also stated that the party appreciated the Naga national workers for coming forward to join the peace process, and should solution not precede election, he said the NPF was prepared to go back to the Naga people with facts and figures which are in its hands and it would definitely triumph.
Meanwhile, denouncing the speaker’s inaction on the issues at hand as per the laid down rules of the Constitution of India as well as the state assembly rules, Kikon said the NPF as a party will not allow such things to happen in “our land”. Towards this, he said the NPF youth wing’s effort (staging an indefinite dharna) has not gone in vain as it has roused the speaker ‘from his deep slumber’ to start acting, even if it is by way of summoning NPF legislators who are with Liezietsu.
MLA Yitachu, who also spoke during the day, said the speaker’s notice which was issued on Oct. 26 was just to frame the issues. He pointed out that the party MLAs in the other group still faced three instances that could disqualify them: on grounds of office of profit, going against anti-party activities, and voting against the party whip.
He alleged that chief minister TR Zeliang himself had responded in an affidavit to the court on behalf of all the 35 NPF MLAs that a party whip is appointed by the party, but was trying to fool the people outside the court. Yitachu stated the “unconstitutional government” was, by playing its delaying tactics in the court, trying to make the people lose their trust in the judiciary system. However he said all hurdles will be overcome soon and all will realize that the party is fighting not only for the NPF, but also for the right of the MLAs on the other side as well as the Nagas in general.
We have already achieved something as the speaker has started moving, he told the gathering. “We have already won.... The next step is to bring out the truth to the Naga people,” he added.
Meanwhile, the NPF youth wing has announced that its sit-in protest will not be held on Saturday and Sunday and it will resume on Monday.
