Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio replying to the points raised on the Governor’s address during the Assembly Session on february 22. (DIPR Report)
Our Correspondent
Kohima | February 22
Opposition leader TR Zeliang today lamented that the present PDA government has not done anything other than the conventional practices of setting up Joint Legislators Forum on Naga political issue and requested the Leader of the House to enlighten the House on the initiatives that PDA Government has taken on the Indo-Naga political issue.
Participating in the debate on the motion of thanks to the Governor’s address which was moved by MLA H Tovihoto Ayemi and seconded by MLA N Bongkhao Konyak on Thursday, Zeliang said “The PDA government continue to claim that their top priority is to solve the Naga Political issue. However, if we look at the ground reality, the present Government has not done anything other than the conventional practices of setting up JLF.”
He said that it would do well for the government to specify what concrete steps they have taken to help resolve the Naga political issue in their 11 months in the government.
He said the promise of the BJP, "Election for Solution" was nothing but an empty rhetorical statement which is an insult to the Nagas as a whole.
Also stating that the former Union HRD Minister and currently a Member of the BJP Manifesto Committee, Sanjay Ram Paswan disclosed at Hotel Japfü in Kohima on February 19, that the Naga issue will be resolved only after Lok Sabha 2019 elections, the opposition leader said “It is very unbecoming of any party to try to score political points taking the genuine struggle and demands of the Nagas.”
On integration of Naga contiguous areas
Sharing his concern on the issue of integration of Naga contiguous areas under one administrative umbrella, he said the softening stand of the PDA government on the issue of integration sets a very dangerous precedence for the Nagas and their future.
“This August House has since 1964 adopted 7 resolutions on the integration issue but if the Government wants to deliberately ignore the issue, why are we passing resolutions one after another in this House? Let us not forget that point number 13 of the 16 Point Agreement which gave birth to the state of Nagaland specifically makes a mention on the integration of Naga contiguous areas,” Zeliang said.
The opposition leader said “we have not seen any visible step forward after the Framework Agreement was signed on August 3, 2015 and we have come across only announcement after announcement.”
He said the Government of the day, “pride itself in making big statements in regard to strengthening the 16 Point Agreement, Article 371(A) etc, but if it is going to cherry pick on issues to be strengthened, I personally feel that we are being led towards darkness and to our own doom.”
He told the floor of the House that the Opposition party will give positive unconditional support to the Government, when it comes to protecting the rights and future of the Nagas in the right perspective “but as a responsible opposition party, it will also point out and vehemently oppose any Government activity which hampers the future of the Naga people.”
Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958
Zeliang expressed disagreement with Governor’s address to the House which quoted the resolution of the Consultative Meeting which was convened by the State Government at Chümoukedima on January 31.
“... I am of the conviction that the statement is unrealistic and has no merit/logic,” he said.
“This is because of the fact that a Central Act like the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act has been in force in Nagaland till today with declaration of the state as a 'Disturbed Area' being announced every year,” he said.
He said the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Bill was passed by both the Houses of Parliament and it received the assent of the President on September 11, 1958 before the formation of the present state of Nagaland by amalgamation of the erstwhile Naga Hill District of Assam and Tuensang.
Apart from several resolutions adopted by the state Government, various NGOs and civil societies in the state have been expressing their resentment against the draconian Act, he said adding that from the day Nagaland became the 16th state of Indian Union in December 1963 till today, Nagaland Legislative Assembly has not passed a single resolution accepting the Armed Forces Special Powers Act in the state and yet it continues to be in operation in the whole of Nagaland.
On website of village councils and VDBs
Endorsing the endorsing the desire of the Governor that the government will ensure that all Village Councils and VDBs have their own websites in the next one year,” the opposition leader however said “When the people in the villages are still deprived of proper mobile connectivity, not to talk about OFC and Internet accessibility, it is beyond comprehension that the Hon'ble Governor visualised Village Councils and VDBs having their own websites in the next one year.”
The government must first look into basic infrastructure and requirements before making such hollow and unrealistic announcement, he said.
“This Government has the tendency to sell impractical and outrageous dreams to the people only to retract their statements in the end; the best example being the promise of good roads in 60 days, then 100 days and after which it blamed the weather and finally settled with a promise of good roads within 1 year,” he said.
Why keep trying to fool the public? Let us be honest in our statements to the people and sincere in our approach to develop the state to be at par with other states. Let us all have the vision to make a better Nagaland founded on dreams that are practical and not based on some wild unachievable ideas and commitment, he said.
Students scholarship, land encroachment
Zeliang said the statement of Governor in his address that “"We have ensured timely release of scholarships to students even when there was delay in release of installments from Government of India," is totally wrong and a preposterous statement.
He said the student community in Nagaland has not received even the backlog of the final installment of 2017-2018 scholarship.
“It is learnt from reliable sources that Ministry of Tribal Affairs, GoI had released the backlog of 2017-18 in December, 2018 and remitted the same to the state exchequer on January 11, 2019. Why the department failed to transfer the entitled amount to the students bank accounts?,” he said.
The scholarship for the year 2018-2019 is not even in sight and the student leaders are concerned that the state government is not taking up the matter seriously with the concern Central Ministry, thus depriving the students of their due share, he said.
He also called upon the Leader of the House to tell this august House on the measures taken up on the issue of land encroachment in Government Colleges in Nagaland as assured to the student community through a Press release and as stated by the Commissioner & Secretary to the CM on August 16, 2018.
The demand of the student leaders to check illegal encroachments is genuine and it will augur well for the future of the students in Nagaland if we sincerely look into the matter and take corrective measures before the lands belonging to Government Colleges disappear completely particularly Kohima Science College, he said.
Aspirational district of Kiphire
Zeliang said that Governor in his address stated that a Corpus of Rs 1 crore has been set up for taking up Projects to meet the developmental gaps in Kiphire district “but in reality, since the declaration of Kiphire as an Aspirational District, the district has not been allotted any fund till today.”
He said despite the much hyped Cabinet Meeting that took place at Kiphire Dist HQ on November 9, 2018; there is nothing on the ground that has taken place.
The District Planning & Development Board (DP&DB) of Kiphire District during its monthly Meeting held on February 19, 2019 has clearly stated that no fund has been allotted to the District till date, Zeliang said.
He said Kiphire district deserves the sympathy and assistance of the government and “therefore, the Government of the day must stand up to its promise and avoid making false claims at all cost.”
