On NPF decision to join Nagaland PDA govt

Kohima, July 26, 2021

COMMUNIQUE

To clear all doubts and confusions prevailing among some Political Parties and individuals on the recent decision of the NPF Legislature Party to support the concept of an Opposition-less Government in the State, the following is placed in public domain for general understanding and clarity of the matter in question.

The NPF Legislature Party decided to support the concept of an Opposition-less Government in the State without any pre-condition. It has placed no demand whatsoever before the incumbent PDA Government.

The Naga people have been praying for unity among the 60 MLAs in order to facilitate the Indo-Naga peace process so that all Naga negotiating groups can come together and create a common ground in order to remove all kinds of confusion among the Nagas and the GoI as well. The good intention of NPF Legislature Party should not be misconstrued because the sole reason and purpose in supporting the formation of an Opposition-less Government is to pursue for an early resolution and settlement of the protracted Naga Political Issue.

As such, the Naga negotiating groups and the Central Government including all Political Parties are requested to be sincere in their approach while handling the ongoing situation in order to conclude the ongoing Indo-Naga peace process at the earliest.

Issued by:
Dr. Chumben Murry
Secretary,
NPF Legislature Party.

Press Communiqué

The Naga People’s Front (NPF) is amused by the statement of the National People’s Party claiming it was awestruck by the ‘political gimmick’ being played by the NPF in its recent decision to support the ruling coalition in the state. The NPF is also surprised over the statement issued by the NPCC on the recent political moved.

While it is not the intention of this press communiqué to rebuff the entire statement word for word, certain deceptive contentions need to be clarified so that the Naga public is not deceived by such a self-serving statement with intent to mislead.

o Extending support to the ruling coalition to expedite the unresolved political conflict with the Government of India is an effort to demonstrate cohesiveness and present a united voice as Elected Representatives of the Nagas. It is not grouping as one political entity and claim to be unifying for the Naga cause, as alleged by the NPP statement because it is neither a merger nor political defection to another political party. The identity and Naga-centric ideology of the NPF remains intact, unlike elected representatives of a certain political party who had no qualms whatsoever about completely shedding their pre-election colors and defecting to another party to secure their position in the Government’s chair.

o While it is true that the State has experienced opposition-less government before, the NPP statement conveniently ignores the hard political reality that the State Government is neither a party to the political negotiations between the Government of India and the various Naga Political Groups nor a signatory to pre-settlement agreements on which, the political negotiations are being based. Rather, the state government has been playing a facilitating role between the various negotiating entities. To this end, the NPF is prepared to explore every possibility, including supporting the ruling dispensation in its effort to strengthen and expedite the political negotiation.

o The NPF has strived to play the role of ‘constructive opposition’ since the formation of PDA Government, as rightly pointed out by the NPP statement about the NPF’s “recent attacks on the State government regarding misappropriation of funds and lack of infrastructure in the State”, while being conscious not to undermine or hinder the efforts of the state government, NGO’s, Churches and other organizations in fighting and containing the Covid-19 enforced pandemic.

o As has been re-iterated time and again, the elected representatives of the NPF along with the entire MLAs are ready to resign to pave way for the smooth transition of power should political developments necessitate such an act. However, as democratically elected representatives responsible to the people, the entire MLAs cannot relinquish their position just to appease a political party that, conveniently, does not have a single elected representative in the Legislative Assembly.

o The Congress when in power at the centre and as well as in the state had never came out with such bold decision to resign but when they are left without a single MLA in this 13th house, the NPCC President, K Therie is boldly asking all the MLAs to resign in order to pave the way for solution, whereas all the resolutions or manifesto of every political party spelled out loud and clear that we will pave the way for new arrangement as and when conditions demands it.

o Regardless of the scorn and insult heaped on it by people with vested interests, the NPF will continue to champion the rights of the Nagas and strive to protect and promote them in every possible way within the parameter of a Democratic Government because this objective is the fundamental principle on which the cock party was found.

Issued by:
Press Bureau,
Naga People’s Front,
Central Headquarters,
Kohima: Nagaland.