DIMAPUR, APRIL 5 (MExN): Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Nagaland on Thursday hit out at the ruling NPF government on the law & order and development fronts, flip-flop decisions and on a number of issues.
Addressing media persons after party meeting at its office in Dimapur, State NCP President, Neiba Ndang said, “We need a change in Nagaland ... badly in need of a new political party to bring change.”
The Nagaland NCP President said that law and order problem has been deteriorating day by day where killing is a frequent happening not sparing even hospitals supposed to be the most secure and life-saving place.
Mentioning about the rising kidnapping of businessmen, school children, raping even minors, extortion and taxation at various illegal check gates, he asked whether this was what the government called improvement of law and order. Ndang also made mention of the trouble-torn Athibung area to substantiate his statement. He said it was the bounden duty of the government to give peace and harmony to the people but that NPF government had miserably failed in this aspect.
He pointed out the frequent price rise of commodities and attributed it to rampant extortion and taxation. The burden of all this is borne by the public, he added.
On the development front, Ndang said that the government only talks about fund constraints even for repair of government quarters and state highways which he described as “pathetic.”
He particularly mentioned about Dimapur to Jalukie road which is a state highway but not fit even to be called a road. Ndang said several centrally sponsored schemes were not reaching the grassroot level and siphoned off by higher ups. He alleged that the present government belonged only to the NPF party and not the people.
Further, Ndang asserted that the development claims of the NPF government was only a “paper tiger” and not effective.
Referring to Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio’s statement that government officials were the backbone of the government, Ndang said many backbones (officials) do not attend office except police, medical and few other departments. “Some don’t even come to attend Planning Board meetings,” he alleged and added that all these amounted to dereliction of duties. “How can we expect progress and development when government machineries are not available?” he queried.
The NCP President also criticized the government for making a mockery of the Prohibition Act in the state where liquor was available day and night. He said the Year of Entrepreneurs was a failure as the government could not suitably place hundreds of youths who were sent out for training. “When the youngsters came back to the government after the training, the government replied they had no money. The government has bluffed the youths,” he said. Ndang recalled that the government could not even provide relief to farmers in Jalukie and Peren where harvest was badly affected due to rat infestation and other reasons.
He lashed out at the ruling government for its flip-flops on decision takings as in the case of bogus teachers appointment scam, 33 % women quota etc. He alleged that when the municipal and town council election was suspended, only those people loyal to the NPF party were nominated as advisors to the district administration.
Ndang also hit out at the government for meting out step-motherly treatment to the Eastern Nagas who have now started to fight for their own rights. Drawing attention to recent remark of the chief minister that Eastern Naga areas were backward but not its people, Ndang said Eastern Nagaland have been neglected thereby lacking proper education, poor infrastructure connectivity etc. “When the area is not developed how can they say people are not backward? Because of area backwardness people also become backward,” he said. Ndang maintained that all these problems would not have come up if the government made judicious use of funds.
Mentioning all such issues, the NCP president said, “We need a change in Nagaland ... badly in need of a new political party to bring change.” He said that the manifesto of the NCP was good governance, development oriented, transparent and corruption free government. He also said NCP stood for democratic and secular society and that the party was wedded to equality and social justice. “Our strength lies in the grassroot and the voice of the people is our command .... We will carry the voice of the people if we are given the mandate,” Ndang said.
Former Transport Minister Imtilemba Sangtam and other party workers were present during the press conference.
