Kohima, March 17 2010: Senior DAN Minister for Urban Development and Higher Education Dr Shurhozelie shrugged off the Opposition Congress plan of staging 6-hour state-wide bandh on March 20, saying their wild charges against ruling DAN were only "repetitions without substances".

Talking to NEPS here on Wednesday, the senior DAN Minister who is also president of ruling major NPF party expressed wonder whether the Opposition sponsored 6-hour bandh on March 20 would draw any public support because the general public knew their wild allegations against Government were without any "substances" .

"I find nothing in their charges which have been going almost a month," Dr Shurhozelie pointed out saying, "Since new guards have taken over the party (Congress) affairs, may be, they wanted to show some of their actions but without substance." "I don't know whether it will create any impact," he added.

The NPF chief failed to understand the motive behind the Opposition Congress' repeated questioning of DAN Government's not holding Municipal and Town Council elections on time.

He said in the history of Nagaland Legislative Assembly, all the 60 Members had agreed to come together to "work towards settlement of Naga political issue".

"This is a big achievement on the part of legislators---be it ruling members or opposition ones," he added.

"Such coming togetherness has really strengthened the peace process greatly".

Now under such circumstances, if any election---be it Municipal or Town Council---was held, various political parties would set up their candidates.

They would vigorously canvass for their party candidates and then some unwanted developments might come up.

In the process, strained relationship would occur among the legislators who had agreed to work together towards settlement of the Naga political issue, Dr Shurhozelie explained.

"So holding elections at this juncture will weaken the peace process and the purpose of coming together amongst them (legislators) will be defeated," he said.

"It appears that they (Congress) are only copying the alien culture of politics".

He however pointed out the Government's deferment of holding Municipal and Town Council elections was mainly on the above count but it (deferment) did not mean for an indefinite period of time.

"We must hold election as early as possible," he stated adding, "But when the peace process going on with much expectation, why should we play any super-consciousness".

"Otherwise if election should come, we are always in the advantageous position being in ruling party," the NPF chief stated.

With regard to 6 ROP, Dr Shurhozelie stated that they had to implement it "by all means." "It is not only Nagaland but the whole of northeastern states," he said.

"But if the Central Government doesn't come to our rescue, all the states in the region will face serious problem".

Stating that deficit was as a normal feature, the Minister said, "Even if angel comes, deficit will be there" .

* The sender of this news can be contacted at nepsonline(at)yahoo(dot)com .

Comment