Kohima, April 08: The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) has criticized the DAN Government for completely derailing all the good works done by the previous Congress Governments particularly in matters of �peace and political process, economic planning and good governance� in the last thirteen months or so of its ruling.

A booklet of the NPCC entitled �Election 2004: Achievements versus promises� that was released here today at Hotel Japfu by party (NPCC) President and former Chief Minister SC Jamir, has extensively given the achievements---be it peace process or political process or economic development or good governance---brought about during the previous Governments.

It had charged the present DAN Government in the State for completely destroying whatever the previous Governments established for the people of the State.

The NPCC President termed the coming Lok Sabha polls would be crucial for the fact that electorates of Nagaland would choose their lone candidate between �a tested and experienced candidate who is well-respected in parliament and a fresh candidate.� The sitting Congress MP K Asungba Sangtam seeking for his re-election for the third time will take on fresh NPF candidate W Wangyuh Konyak who is also the consensus candidate of the DAN for the State�s lone LS seat on May 5 next.

Asungba had proved himself as an �effective and active parliamentarian with all qualities to speak for the people� during his past two tenures as an MP from Nagaland and all his achievements as an MP was an open book for the people to judge.

And therefore, it was high time for the people of Nagaland to critically censor the DAN Government by defeating its candidate in the coming parliamentary polls to enable Asungba to continue his works for the welfare of the people and the State, the NPCC stated.

The NPCC booklet also highlighted how its previous Governments, in response to the �urges and longings� of the people, adopted a policy of peace offensive in the 1990s resulting in the signing of two ceasefire agreements between the Government of India and the two factions of the NSCN.

The sole objective of these two ceasefires was to make peace a �permanent feature� in the land thereby a congenial political environment for the success of the political process, it pointed out.

To facilitate the NSCN (IM) and its leadership to freely negotiate with the Government of India, the then Congress Chief Minister (Jamir) in the State withdrew the cases filed against them as a result of the abortive assassination bid made on his life in November 1999.Accordingly, the State government withdrew the warrants of arrest served against the NSCN (IM) leaderships, it disclosed adding that �This singular act of forgiveness on the part of the Congress leadership enabled the NSCN (IM) leaders, Muivah and Isak, to come to the country in January 2003 to meet and talk with Indian leaders.

The Congress party also reiterated its consistent stand for the involvement of all sections of the Naga people in the political process so that a unified voice and demand could be put across to the Government of India to work out a �political framework� honorable and acceptable to all.

And for the Congress party, all the underground cadres were �inalienable� part of the Naga community and therefore, they should be collectively involved in the final political settlement.

Asking the DAN Government to be more transparent in its approach towards Naga political issue, the Congress categorically stated the people should not kept in the dark of the process since it was their destiny that was �at stake.� Thus, they should be consulted and kept informed about the substantive issues that were being discussed, the Congress party said.

Rather than merely parroting that the talks were heading in the right direction, the DAN Government should clearly tell the people which direction was right and which direction the talks were heading, the Congress added.

The NPCC booklet also brought about several charges against the DAN Government for the abuse of power, corruption and nepotism, miss-governance, sale of ILPs, deteriorating law and order, issuance of blank warrants of arrests, urban-centric policy, transferring of dead person, and confusion over Naga political process, etc.

Asking the people of Nagaland to renew their mandate to enable Asungba to continue his works for the welfare of the people and the State, the Congress party said Nagas were known for their political wisdom and maturity and believed that this time too, they should �wisely select� between the one contesting the polls with a long list of achievements and the other with a whole lot of empty promises.

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