‘Govt knows assailants, protected by whom’ – Cong
Dimapur, June 9 (MExN): The Nagaland Congress today strongly echoed its sentiments that it is time for a strong chief minister and Home minister to curb the rising crime in Nagaland, particularly the deepening extortion culture and assault on lives of citizens. In the backdrop of increased criminal activities and the fear of speaking openly against it, the Congress appealed today that the Naga People’s Front (NPF)-led Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) must now heed to the cries of the Naga citizens.
An instance of the government’s apathy as stated in a Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) media release was the May 27 assassination attempt on a woman, a retired government officer in Kohima. The state government has yet to bring to justice the criminals responsible for the assassination attempt in spite of fully knowing where they are hiding and protected by whom, the NPCC reminded.
“If the DAN government is worth its salt, let it wake up from the slumber and show its existence. The Home minister is a weakling. The people of Nagaland deserve a strong, performing Home minister. How long will the chief minister take to heed the voices of the people?” the NPCC stated today in an unusual statement shorn of any political additives.
The Congress pointed out to the truth that public disturbance not manifesting outwardly is not public peace in itself. “With extortion, rape, attempted rape and assassination, threat and intimidation, theft/robbery of private and public properties, kidnapping for ransom, killing, etc. taking place on daily basis and disturbing public order, no one knows what will happen next,” the NPCC reminded. “The lives and properties of the people are no more secure. The publics are constantly terrorized. People have no peace of mind. There’s serious public disorder that is more hidden than visible.”
The NPCC also pointed to the everyday illegal taxes and extortions by myriad of organizations. Government agencies themselves are involved in these illegal activities is even more shocking, the NPCC media cell said. Stating that the government of the day has totally lost control of its own machineries, the NPCC said the Home Minister “has been too busy having embroiled in one controversy or other because of his foot in the mouth syndrome that he has neglected his own duty to keep track of the happenings in his own kitchen.”
On Extortion ‘for organization’s sustenance’
Another issue the Congress raised was that of the infamous allusion of the government earlier that organizations may engage in ‘taxes’ for ‘sustaining the organization.’ The NPCC stated – “If illegal taxation from the innocent public by various organizations is the only means of survival for the organizations, it is high time that the government have a re-look on the policy of the right to form organizations. What punitive action, will the government take against the defaulting organizations and whether the government will realize the illegal money from those organizations?”
“If so, will the recovered amounts go to the State exchequer? The public have the right to question the govt. on transparency and accountability on the fate of such illegal money,” the Congress reminded. Apart from the administrative and law enforcement agencies, the NPCC stated, the so-called “20-25% taxation” on government employees has become an established system in all other departments of Nagaland.
“They have not felt the pinch. So, they either feign ignorance or take the excuse of the cases being not reported. The DAN government is yet to nab the culprits of May 27 assassination attempt on a lady retired officer despite fully knowing where they are hiding and protected by whom,” the NPCC reminded the DAN leadership.
Cong cannot “reframe” Naga issue
Dimapur, June 9 (MExN): The war of words between the ruling Naga People’s Front (NPF) and the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) continues with the former stating that the latter cannot “reframe” the Naga political issue since they have back-stabbed the people from NPC days.” The NPF’s media cell issued a statement today criticizing the Congress for being “so allergic.”
“The NPCC sincerely need a reality check to ascertain their position and to feel the pulse of the people. The stagnant policy of the state Congress party cannot reframe the term of the Naga Political issue since they have backstabbed the people from NPC days.
On June 9, the NPF stated, the NPCC “has honestly admitted” that “they are only for the statehood.” As far as the Naga political issue for the state Congress party is concerned, ‘statehood is a full stop and nothing goes beyond statehood,’ the regional party said of the opposition.
The NPF explained – “State Congress party has certainly reiterated that the demand is nothing beyond the statehood and therefore all the on going political activities are nothing but a mere law and order issue. The real identity and hidden agenda of the state Congress party has been flatly exposed by their official statement of June 4, which was reaffirmed on June 8, 2011.”
This, the party asserted, is the reason “why they are so angrily in overdrive with Rio CM and Imchen HM for the sheer fact that both of them always stand firm on the Naga political issue which is so allergic and in complete contrast to the NPCC.”
The NPF also mocked the Congress’ recent electoral misfortunes. The NPCC is “well aware” that they have “no hope for the next general election following the series of stunning defeat inflicted on them by the patriotic forces of the NPF and now the AICC has already cold- shouldered on NPCC sensing their inevitable division and shattered party setup which is known by the people”
In such a situation, the NPF said, the Congress has ‘nothing meaningful to do except to trade charges to give a color of their existence’.
“But they do know that even with such trick they cannot fool the people any longer, poor fellows. The NPCC sincerely need a reality check to ascertain their position and to feel the pulse of the people,” the NPF added.
