DIMAPUR, MAY 19 (MExN): NPF President, Shürhozelie Liezietsu today issued a statement clarifying his party’s stand to the people of Nagaland in wake of the NPF’s decision to 'in principle' withdraw support to the BJP in Manipur.
A statement from the NPF leader said that this was also a rejoinder to the ruling NDPP which had on May 18 accused the opposition of playing a “double game.”
Liezietsu while admitting the NPF’s association with the BJP since 2003, stated that when the latter took power at the centre in 2014, “changed their colour completely and started making attempts to dictate us.” “We could not yield to their demands because we, the NPF, represent the identity of the Naga people. We have our own principles to defend and protect the interest of our people,” he said.
“We believe they are quite happy now with their new partners in their de facto government. On our part, we have no regret whatsoever because we remain the same people with the same policies and programs,” the NPF President added.
On the Manipur state unit of the party, he admitted that it had supported the BJP government there even after parting ways in Nagaland. In this, he pointed to the Naga political issue and said “if we have real concern for a political solution to the long standing political problem let us understand that the same could not be solved through debate among the different political parties. The issue of this political problem should not be brought into agenda of petty political parties. The matter is beyond our power. We are only playing the role of mediation.”
“The issue is sensitive and, therefore, it is better not to talk about it if one cannot fathom fully the ground reality of the protracted problem,” Liezietsu added. He further stated that the NPF wants to see how promises made by the government to solve the issue would pan out in the coming days. “Under the circumstances, whether I withdraw today or after completion of election process, it remains the same once I have taken decision to withdraw,” he said.
The NPF President meanwhile said that the NDPP leaders should focus on delivering good works to the people rather than “concentrating to destroy NPF.” “Condemning the political opponent every day is never an achievement of a welfare Government,” he added.
Meanwhile, stating that the NDPP has filed case against him because of his appeal to the people to “vote for their faith,” the NPF President said: “I am born free and I will continue to worship free and without fear in as much as Nagaland is giving freedom to all other religions to worship freely as enshrined in the Constitution of India.”
“The case is still lying in the court. Why not come and arrest me if they considered that I am wrong in saying so,” he said.
