NPF's T R Zeliang slams Nagaland CM Neiphiu Rio over Citizenship (Amendment) Bill

Nagaland, April 8, 2019:

The Naga People’s Front (NPF) Legislature Party Leader, TR Zeliang on Monday branded the one-year-old PDA led NDPP Government as ‘entertainment Government’ by stating that the PDA’s achievements are by organizing Hornbill Festival, Mini Hornbill Festivals and shifting of Cabinet meeting to Kiphire District headquarters once.

“The PDA one-year book development achievement were all sanctioned and implemented during the last DAN III and with whatever amount is left has been pocketed in the name of undisclosed projects”, Zeliang asserted.

Addressing an election rally at Mon for the Congress candidature, KL Chishi, Zeliang said that one of the visible achievements of the PDA Government is the random transfer of officers who went against the NDPP in the last election as punishment and posting and removal of employees from service with biased attitude. The one-year PDA Government has not succeeded in bringing any Central Road project from Delhi but yet continues to eat up its own flesh and thereby creating a huge deficit in the state exchequer, he added.

The former Chief Minister also categorically pointed out that an additional fund of Rs. 735.84 Crore was released from 1st April 2018 till date as claimed by the Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio in the Assembly which includes reimbursement amount of Rs. 220.09 Crore. However, when the opposition NPF sought the remaining amount of Rs. 514.75 Crore after the deduction of reimbursement amount was spent and through from which department, the Chief Minister did not dare to reply till date, he said adding that the Chief Minister also failed to be answered how the department has failed to specify the bar

Therefore, Zeliang quipped that can the Naga people expect transparency, accountability and good governance from the PDA leadership. “It is expected that the PDA Government deficit will land up into unmanageable position in the Finance Department for the random release of additionality”, he maintained.

Speaking on the Citizenship Amendment Bill vis-a-vis Article 371 (A) & ILP, the NPF Legislature party leader lambasted the Chief Minister for defending that Article 371 (A) & ILP can protect the Naga people if CAB comes into law. He asked if the PDA Government thinks it can protect the Naga people, then why it’s MP Tokheho Yepthomi did not raise the matter in the Parliament that Nagaland should be exempted from this controversial Bill in line with Article 371 (A) and ILP.

Zeliang also asked how far the PDA leaders can fool the Naga people by such illogical ideology and called upon all the right-thinking citizens of Nagaland to rise up and come together and vote out the NDPP.

He also reminded the people that the NPF legislators have walked out from the Assembly when the Chief Minister to please its High Command BJP in Delhi wanted to add in the Assembly resolution that Nagas are protected from the CAB under the provision of Article 371 (A) and ILP.

Since the BJP is all out to pass the CAB and resolute not to dilute the AFSPA if they come to power in the coming election, Zeliang warned the Naga people to understand the dangerous plans of the BJP Party and vote for the secular candidate so that these Acts do not destroy the identity and social fabric of the Nagas.

Commenting on the latest merger of 2 NPP MLAs into NDPP, withdrawal of NPF and NPP candidates from the Aonglenden by-election, TR Zeliang said that Rio has blinded them with greed for power and wealth.

Zeliang also wonders that all the 7 NPF MLAs from the Eastern Naga area who declared their support to the PDA Government has spelled out their mind during the free and frank interactions among the NPF legislatures party meeting on both the occasion on 18th and 23rd of March 2019 that NPF should not set up its candidate for the Lok Sabha poll but to extend support to the Congress candidate. He maintained that after the decision of the majority of the MLAs including the 7 MLAs, the NPF MLAs has recommended to the party for taking up the decision and subsequently the party has decided not to set up a candidate but to support the Congress candidate.

Therefore, Zeliang asked how an elected leader can change its mind in overnight, however, he said the 7 MLAs according to the law is still an NPF MLAs and it is unfortunate that the law will soon take its own course of action towards the 7 rebels MLAs.

During the occasion, the NPF Spokesperson, Achumbemo Kikon said that Nagas were not known to what four-lane road is unless a person travels out of the state to some other developed state. However, during the last DAN III Government under the Chief Minister of TR Zeliang, the dream for the Naga people to experience the four-lane road has come into reality. The four-lane road project (Dimapur-Kohima) money was sanctioned and for which the work was already under full swing. He also mentioned that during the last NPF Government prominent and important roads such as Dimapur by-pass road (Khatkati-Patkai) (Purana Bazar-Chumukedima) and Kohima town (By-pass to Phesema Check Gate) were some few to be mentioned achievements of the last Government and the ongoing works is under full progress.