Of late, the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee has developed a rib-tickling, guffaw-inducing sense of humour which would be the envy of many a stand-up comedian and humourists the world over.
Its statements appearing in the local media are as hilarious as the political party which has become a joke. For instance, the claim that “it was he (Mr Therie) who single-handedly revived the dying Cock party and propelled it to power in 2003” deserves a standing ovation because of its utter ridiculousness! The NPCC would like to have us believe that we are blessed with a political Samson in our midst capable of achieving the impossible, bestowed with amazing powers and what have you. One can only imagine if his Delilah would be the very party he presently heads.
Moreover, if statements of historical, political facts are considered by the NPCC as “tirades” against a leader and “a payback of ungratefulness”, the NPF can only submit that it would rather be brutally frank with the truth than be with lies and flattery: The once blue-eyed boy of Mr Jamir, after being sacked from the Congress Ministry in 2002, developed looks that could kill his former Boss; after being dropped from DAN I by “some ungrateful people and power mongers”, as the NPCC puts it, this leader tried all means hook and crook to regain power with unscrupulous elements and tried his best to stab his once bosom buddy who resigned from the Congress ministry in September 2002 for his sake!
And having threatened others with his “popularity, political principles and unwavering commitment”, this honourable gentleman, while being in the NPF party, started to hob-nob with Congress leaders clearly showing his political principles and unwavering commitment to the party he belongs to. As for the popularity of the leader that the NPCC seems to be obsessed with, his exit from the Cabinet and the party went un-noticed and un-mourned until someone pointed out the absence of a massive ego in the party. Ever since, he has been noticed from time to time, and all these times, for all the wrong reasons.
As for the term “supreme sacrifice” which seems to be absolutely alien to the Congress party, it is no surprise that the NPCC has found it hollow because what can be said of a political party whose presidential candidates resort to vandalism, arson and exploding of bombs at the Congress Bhawan? Smooth transition of power, according to NPCC culture, would be when the Bhawan is totally razed to the ground and opponents within the party hospitalized, or dead and buried! So far, there has not been any instance of smooth transition of power within the NPCC, but serious attempts have been made, the most recent one being when the present incumbent occupied the Chair and he suspended all senior leaders from the party. No political party has had such a smooth transition of power, nor has anyone made such liberal, supreme sacrifices for the party!
As for vacating one’s Constituency for another (another phenomenon alien to the NPCC), one should not be too harsh on the Congress party because it seems to be strictly adhering to the High Command: When Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar visited Congress Bhawan, Kohima, in the early 2000, the then Working President of the party deferentially stood up and offered his chair to the visiting dignitary, to which Aiyar reportedly admonished, “In politics, one should never vacate one’s seat for another person.” But as far as the NPF is concerned, sacrifice is not new: In 1990, sitting MLA KG Kenye vacated his Chizami Constituency to enable Mr Vamuzo to contest and fulfill Constitutional obligations. For the NPF rank and file, the interests of the party come first unlike the NPCC whose tradition seems to be the contrary.
As far as the usage of the word “un-mandated” by the NPCC is concerned, it is threatening to cause mass nausea because former Congress Prime Ministers Mr Narasimha Rao and Dr Manmohan Singh were never considered as un-mandated when they were sworn in to office without they being members of either House of the Parliament. We are also not aware that when they were sworn in to office while being unelected members of the Parliament, the Congress party functionaries put on gunny bags, smeared their faces with ash and hung their heads in shame that there were no suitable or capable Member of Parliament to take over as the Prime Minister!
However, this selective amnesia of the Congress party is on expected lines because all these decades, the party had been taking the people of the country for a ride forcing itself to believe that the people were enjoying the ride.
This Press Release was sent by NPF Bureau, who can be contacted at npfpressbureau(at)rediffmail(dot)com.
