The attention of the NPF has been drawn to certain remarks of the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee which appeared in a section of the local media this morning wherein the speech of the former Chief Minister TR Zeliang at Tamenglong district headquarter the other day was criticised.
The truth is bitter, and it is more so for the Congress party when the former Chief Minister stated the truth how Congress Chief Minister Ibobo Singh has been clinging to power using all sorts of Central and State security forces available at his disposal turning out the whole State into a war-zone like environment.
If the handling of the ULB elections was a fiasco as the party claimed, what can be said of the Congress party which passed a resolution supporting holding of ULB elections with 33% reservation of seats for women, printed their manifesto but when there were no takers for their party tickets in the ULB elections, withdrew from the scene quietly and maintained a deafening silence all throughout. Indeed, the Congress party had “tactfully handled the simmering situation” as the Media Cell of the party termed it. It should now clarify to the people of the State as to what extenuating circumstances compelled it to act so hypocritically in the first place, and also how their resolution to support and participate in the ULB elections was turned down by their High Command. After all, the culture of capitulating before the High Command is alien to the Naga people but for the Congress party leaders, the penitent position is their most favoured position when in Delhi.
If the Congress harbours any delusions that the DAN legislators had abandoned the former Chief Minister, they have another thinking coming. It should be remembered by one and all that the former Chief Minister was compelled to step down for the sake of peace and tranquillity not from within the Assembly or the Government, but from outside forces which resorted to all sort of violent and morbid methods for the political benefits of a few vested interests.
And if the Congress party is so keen to respond to the political speeches of the NPF leaders in Manipur, they should go to Manipur and campaign for their party candidates. Unfortunately, they have not been invited to address even a single election campaign by their counterparts in Manipur, and they have no other option but to resort to armchair politicking whereby they at least, make themselves heard.
In other words, having being reduced to a few desperate political had-beens, the NPCC leaders are consoling themselves by making regular noises now and then in the local media earning the rightful tag of being Paper Tigers and Generals without Soldiers!
Issued by
Media & Press Bureau
Naga People’s Front, Central Office
