DIMAPUR, SEPTEMBER 5 (MExN): The Naga Rising today stated that the decision to form the ‘Nagaland United Government’ by the present NDPP-led PDA government along with the opposition NPF “in the name of unity and solution is hardly convincing.”
“Governance and the constitutional obligation of an elected government have nothing to do with the ongoing political negotiations between the Government of India and the Naga Political Groups (NPGs) or the question of unity among the NPGs,” a press release from The Naga Rising stated.
“The PDA government deciding to abdicate its governance responsibility and the NPF to absolve itself from playing the role of a responsible opposition is driven by misplaced reasoning. Political solution, reconciliation or coming together of the NPGs should not be mixed up with the functioning of parliamentary democracy,” it added.
It advised the Chief Minister and the ruling alliance to instead focus on providing good governance. It further stated that if at all, the Parliamentary Panel on the Naga issue, already represented by both the ruling and opposition, should come out with a clear formulation/draft and timeline for the NPGs to work together towards one solution.
The people of Nagaland, it stated, would rather have the elected government and opposition perform their respective constitutional obligation. The people of Nagaland deserve a responsible government and a responsible opposition, The Naga Rising stated.
Without the opposition, The Naga Rising feared that the government of the day enjoys power without responsibility with unfettered control over resources. “Without an opposition in the Legislative Assembly, Nagaland will witness an absolute and autocratic government which is not only unhealthy for democracy but a fraud on the constitution of India and the people of Nagaland,” it cautioned.
It said that the Nagaland United Government, even if it goes ahead, is “detrimental to the essence of representative democracy as it does not represent the views of the electorate faithfully.”
According to The Naga Rising, “the spirit of the constitution demands that the Chief Minister should first tender his resignation along with the council of ministers and then reconstitute the new government, if the situation so warrants.”
