Tribe bodies ask govt to step down

The anger resonated with strong demands that called for the immediate resignation of the government headed by chief minister T.R. Zeliang. The various tribe organisations and the Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) have vowed to continue with the indefinite statewide bandh till the resignation of the DAN government headed by chief minister T.R. Zeliang. 

 Angami Public Organisation (APO), Kohima Ao Senso Telongjem (representing the Ao Senden) and Chakhesang Public Organisation have demanded immediate resignations of chief minister, T.R. Zeliang; home minister, Y. Patton, all cabinet ministers including DAN chairman and NPF president Dr. Shurhozelie, who were being blamed for the factors that precipitated the January 31 tragedy. APO president Dr. Vilhousa Seleyi and Kohima Ao Senso president Er. Talitoba, after a joint meeting, Wednesday, condemned the state government’s action and demanded its immediate resignation.

 They also demanded an Independent Judicial Inquiry to probe into the incident and suspension of Dimapur Police Commissioner and all officers involved in the firing that led to the deaths of the two youths. They accused the government of betraying the people by using the name of the church (NBCC) to sign a tripartite agreement on January 30 but which it did not honour in an act of “treachery”. They also accused the CM of creating a “state sponsored terror, butchering two young and promising Naga youth” and wondered how many more would be killed. 

 APO has also demanded the resignations of all Angami legislators including parliamentary secretary Municipal Affairs. It has also demanded resignations of all Angami women from NMA or face ex-communication from Angami community.

NCD: Naga Council Dimapur (NCD) has fully endorsed on the public demands that chief minister T.R. Zeliang and NPF president Dr. Shurhozelie Liezietsu step down from their respective positions. They also demanded that ULB elections held on February 1 in certain town council should be invalidated and that the entire IR platoon responsible for indiscriminate firing leading on January 31, should be suspended with immediate effect. 

 NCD vice president K. Ghokheto Chophy and general secretary Thsapongkyu Sangtam have also condemned the “cowardly” and “dastardly” action of the IRB personnel. NCD prayed for solace and conveyed condolences to the bereave family members. 

CPO: Chakhesang Public Organisation (CPO) in a press note condemned the “treacherous act” committed by chief minister, for his calculated act in betraying the trust reposed by JCC on the government and for making mockery of NBCC.

CPO president Kekhwengulo Lea and general secretary Mutsivoyi Kotso further said that the “adamant move” by the state government to hold the civic polls “at any cost” had rather taken the lives of two innocent youths. In this regard, CPO has demanded immediate resignation of the chief minister T.R. Zeliang and his cabinet colleagues. CPO also questioned the government over signing the tripartite agreement and later carrying out a meticulous plan to fool the Naga people till the last moment. CPO said it was very clear that the two precious lives were lost and several injured and survival of some uncertain and many more displaced due to the chief minister’s “untamed ambition, senselessness, visionless and arrogance”. CPO said the chief minister has lost all moral and political right to lead the people now stood condemned by the people. It warned that people will not allow him to turn Nagaland into hell. 

CPO also squarely blamed the “strong headed and arrogance of JACWR, at the behest of NMA”, to push for the civic polls, which had only cost the lives of two precious youths. “They are no less responsible than the state government and as matter of fact they had initiated and aggravated the prevailing situation without least botheration of consequence to come,” CPO said. It went on to state that JACWR’s obsession with 33% reservation had seemingly overridden the significance of Art 371A, thereby turning the entire state into killing field. 

“Unless congenial situation is created and unless the demand of Naga people is fulfilled JACWR should also be prepared to face consequence of their own creation,” it warned. It further called for a unified tribal body of all hohos to henceforth withdraw solidarity and cooperation to those tribal hohos who were in support of ULB polls against the voices of the Nagas.