Left to right, C Apok Jamir, AICC in-charge of Tripura Nagaland Sikkim Manipur, Girish Chodankar and Ranajit Mukherjee during the press conference in Dimapur on April 17. (Morung Photo)
Morung Express News
Dimapur | April 17
In the closing minutes of election campaigning, the Indian National Congress (INC) on Wednesday took one last swing at its opponents as the party refuted the allegations thrown at them by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator, Imkong L Imchen and instead said, “habitual defectors make habitual liars.”
Addressing a press conference held at the Congress Bhavan in Dimapur on April 17, where All India Congress Committee (AICC) member, Ranajit Mukherjee stated a distressing statement was made yesterday which forces us to respond.
This was in regard to what Imchen had alleged saying that most incidents of religious atrocities reported across the country were not based on facts but rather manufactured elsewhere. “Have you come across any FIR filed by Congress against such atrocities,” Imchen had questioned. Imchen had also slammed the Congress for the past atrocities made against the Naga people during the 1950s’ 60s and 70s under its rule saying that the party should seek forgiveness from the Naga people.
Responding to this, Mukherjee first of all said, the BJP leader does not hold the credibility anymore to make the statement considering the number of parties he has defected to. “Habitual defectors make habitual liars,” he commented.
Moreover, the BJP loves to rewrite, obfuscate and twist historical facts to confuse voters, he said. The reasons it is doing so right now in Nagaland, he claimed is because they are losing ground which is apparent to anyone following voters’ behavior. “They want to divert the attention of the voters away from what is happening to Christians across the country, by the BJP and RSS,” he said. Instead, the Congress asked Imchen to talk about what is happening in Manipur and to ask him as to why the Prime Minister has not visited the State yet.
In relation to the assertion of Imchen that Congress is seeking to approve LGBTQIA+ activities, Mukherjee emphasized on the protection guaranteed by Article 371 (A) which will automatically ensure that nothing against Naga social, cultural and religious values will be imposed in Nagaland.
Former MLA, C Apok Jamir meanwhile viewed the statement made by Imchen as very unbecoming and said it is understandable when one joins a new party one becomes overtly ‘enthusiastic’ to please the party leaders. He admitted that although there was political turmoil during Jawaharlal Nehur’s time, the first peace political agreement had came about to form the present Nagaland State which leaders like Imchen were enjoying today.
At the same time, Jamir claimed that there have been talks of indulging in proxy voting on the day of polling votes wherein, “those voters who do not come, the council members are going to take over and cast their votes.” This election is not merely an election but a survival of the democratic values of this country, he said.
Girish Chodankar, AICC in-charge of Tripura Nagaland Sikkim Manipur said that everyone is worried and concerned about the proxy voting and booth capturing on the day of polling. To this end, he said the Congress has a written letter to the Chief Election Commissioner (CEO) who has assured that 50% of the booths will have web-casting. Where webcasting is not present there will be physical recording as well, he said.
He further appealed to all the citizens, church leaders, NGOs and civil society groups to be vigilant, especially at the village level, to safeguard democracy and the Constitution.
When queried about the NDPP’s denial of the claim made by Congress about the alleged ‘booth capturing,’ Chodankar replied by reminding the statement made by Y Patton encouraging proxy voting in the villages.
