Morung Express News
Dimapur | March 30
The ploy of the Opposition Congress in Nagaland to unseat Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio from his chair appears to have taken a reverse route. The Nagaland Peoples’ Front today said the Nagaland Legislative Assembly had already passed a legislation known as the Nagaland State Legislative Members (Removal of Disqualification) Act, 1964 which says the offices of parliamentary secretaries, chairman of any committee, board or authority appointed by the government or any office under the government, which is not a full time office, and not remunerated by salary or fees, has been exempted from disqualification under Article 191 of the Constitution.
The Congress had earlier sought the resignation of Rio by saying that he was holding the posts of chairman of both the Nagaland Bamboo Mission and the Nagaland Sports Council.
The hunter has apparently become the hunted. “It is now found that the Office of Leader of Opposition, which has been given the salary and other facilities, similar to a Cabinet Minister, is not included in the list of exemptions in the above Act of 1964,” an NPF release signed by its Press Secretary R Paphino said.
It is obvious that Leader of Opposition I Imkong is the prime target for disqualification for holding office of profit, it said. “It will be advisable if the CLP also study the existing provisions of relevant Acts before demanding the resignation of any other Members of the Legislative Assembly, who are, in fact, not liable for disqualification, lest it boomerang on their leader.”
Saying that during the 10 year Congress rule, the then Chief Minister SC Jamir had been holding the post of Chairman of the State Sports Council, the NPF questioned, “If the Congress thought that this was an Office of profit, then why raise the issue only now?”
Further, the demand of the President of the Nagaland Congress for action against the two senior most bureaucrats of the State has been termed as an apparent reflection of “the growing desperation of the Congress party.”
“Many similar official functions had been held in the State Banquet Hall in the past, where the Chief Secretary either chaired the function or gave the welcome address.”
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