Dimapur, Aug. 28 (EMN): The Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) on Tuesday dismissed the Naga People Front’s (NPF) criticism of Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio’s Independence Day speech: The ruling party called the opposition’s criticism as one lacking intellectual content and substantive facts; that too, close to two weeks after the speech was delivered.
According to a statement from the party, the NPF does not have the moral authority to raise the issue of transparency, accountability and ‘VIP culture’ as the NPF regime under its ‘unmandated leaders’ in the past four years was the ‘epitome of corruption, manipulation and deceit.’ “The PDA government is against VIP culture and it will continue to take steps in removing the symbols and habits of VIP culture in every possible way.”
The NDPP stated further that the PDA government has left no stone unturned in providing relief, rehabilitation, and extend logistical support to those affected by the recent monsoon-related emergency in the state. “Emergency services, disaster management teams, relief operations and humanitarian aid have been activated like never before. All members of displaced families have been given relief and financial aid for 30 days as per NDMA guidelines and the NSDMA is carrying out assessment of damaged properties for onward submission to the higher authorities. Nowhere has a humanitarian crisis taken place due to calamities.
“Perhaps the NPF should also appreciate that all PDA elected members and party officials in official positions have all contributed one month’s salary towards the chief minister’s relief fund. Also, the rank and file of the party organisations of the PDA coalition parties generously contributed towards relief operations. The members of the PDA coordination committee also contributed generously and even carried out relief distribution activities including reaching out to the impacted sections to take first hand reports of the response of the government agencies.
“We do not want to publicise our charitable activities, but since the NPF has made it into an issue, perhaps they would also do well to let the public know what humanitarian activities they have undertaken to ease the lives of those who are suffering?” the statement read.
Likewise, the party explained that the project to repair roads in the district headquarters within 60 days of the PDA assuming power began on a war footing but challenges and conditions beyond control came in the way. “The Lok Sabha elections imposed a model code of conduct for more than a month and the heavy incessant rains created havoc stopping all repair and renovation works as the government agencies and machineries were directed towards emergency and relief operations all over the state. This is the reality that cannot be denied.
“The PDA government assures that it’s commitment of good roads will not go undone, however it is only appropriate that we first combat the calamities first and then wait for the rains to subside or else it will be wasteful effort and expenditure.”
On the matter of law and order, it asserted that Nagaland had returned to an environment of peace. At times, certain incidents do take place but the law enforcing agencies have been alert and alive to the situation, it stated.
“On the matter of a few agitations that have emerged, we would like to make it clear that we are assessing each issue in a just and impartial manner. The fact of the matter is that we are only trying to clear the mess and confusion created by the previous regimes of the last four years,” the NDPP stated.
It advised the NPF not to point fingers at others as ‘we may be compelled to reveal and expose the activities of the NPF governments of the last four years, where their leaders enjoyed power, misused their positions and led the state towards a downswing at the expense of somebody else’s mandate.’
“It is amusing to note that the NPF and Mr. TR Zeliang claiming responsibility for the initiatives of the PDA government even as it grapples with the failures of being a responsible opposition. It has no moral authority to claim responsibility when its leader has been exposed for filing false affidavit and claiming false educational qualification whereby the entire state has been embarrassed due to Mr. TR Zeliang’s lie that he had graduated from Kohima College under NEHU when both the Kohima College and the NEHU had declared in the court that there is no record of Mr. TR Zeliang having passed from their institutions.
“Rather they declared that they only have records of him having failed. Despite these undeniable facts, the NPF party and its leadership have declared Mr. TR Zeliang to be the ‘chief minister in waiting.’ This is the present state of affairs in the NPF today! This is just one of the many reasons why we say that the NPF has no moral authority to question others.”
On the urban local body (ULB) elections and women reservation, the party stated the NPF should either remain silent or apologise to the Naga people for the fiasco it created and ‘for taking the entire Naga society into a deep state of crisis.’
“The uprising of the Naga people and the spontaneous protests of the masses against the then NPF regime are testimony of the facts that the NPF had little regard for the welfare and feelings for the people other than their own personal benefits. The NPF spokesperson must in fact think twice before advising the government on how to resolve the issue since it is well known how the NPF betrayed the people represented by the tribal hohos by going back on the agreement between the then chief Minister and the hohos represented by the JAC in less than 24 hours of signing it!
“As for the PDA government, we have already instituted a Cabinet committee on women’s reservations and ULB elections and we will take all stakeholders on board with extensive deliberations and discussions before any decision is taken. We will protect the interest, rights and culture of our people under all circumstances,” it sated.
A high-powered committee has been set up to examine and report on the issue of ‘illegal immigrants,’ it added. “The Independence Day speech of the PDA government was visionary, ground breaking and contained several new initiatives aimed a starting a new era of progressive development in Nagaland. However, it is also only a small glimpse of the new roadmap of development that the PDA government has charted out for Nagaland in the near and coming future.
“We assure the people that the PDA government will make every possible effort to work for the welfare of the people and we are committed towards bringing positive change and we appeal to all sections of the people to come forward and partner us in this new and exciting journey ahead and not be distracted by the false and misleading intentions of failed leaders seeking publicity to be in the limelight,” the party stated.
