Sections of Congress workers on Friday staged a dharna outside the Congress Bhavan, Kohima demanding immediate removal of incumbent NPCC president K. Therie and also locking up the NPCC president’s office.
Some of the banners put up at the office read: “We demand immediate removal of Mr. K. Therie as NPCC president; We don’t want Mr. K. Therie pro-BJP as NPCC president; We demand non-partial AICC inquiry into Mr. K Therie’s activities; We don’t want Mr. K. Therie as NPCC president who is against ENPO etc.”
Ex-MLA Sulanthung Lotha who spoke to the media informed that the main agenda of the dharna was to protest against the autocratic functioning of the NPCC president K. Therie who had arbitrarily suspended the eight MLAs, DCC’s president and five ACC members and other party active members who were removed from the party leadership.
Lotha pointed out that as reorganization of the Congress was under process when the NPCC president issued suspension orders when such actions were not to be undertaken when reorganization was under way. Sulanthung said the way Therie was handling party affairs, it would not be long before he totally destroys it.
Ex-MLA Nillo Rengma reiterated that party members agitating were not against the INC but protesting against the suspension of eight Congress legislators by Therie soon as he was appointed NPCC president. Rengma pointed out that in the past 30 years of the Congress in Nagaland, all ten past presidents worked to strengthen the party at all levels. However, he said present NPCC president K. Therie has been acting as if the Congress party belonged to him.
Nillo defended the submission of the memorandum on September 24 memorandum to Therie, adding that the grievances were genuine and they would continue to protest till Therie was removed.
Ex-MLA Khusatho said Congress did not belong to any person but is a party that is rooted in democracy and for which it has been in opposition for the past 12 years in Nagaland.
Khusatho said that Congress supporting DAN was not wrong as being in the government it could relieve the party workers. Khusatho said there was nothing wrong with eight Congress MLAs joining the government since JDU and NCP was also a party of the Congress/government alliance.
Also, ex-MLA H. Chuba said in March, Therie approached him to join BJP together but he (Chuba) refused. He said since then Therie stopped communicating with him. Chuba alleged that Therie was against the state government recommendation of Autonomous council for ENPO and against the Naga solution. He asked who should Congress work for, if the party went against everybody on various issues?
Ex-MLA Supongmeren Jamir said the suspension of the MLAs and members should be revoked.
Ex-MLA Joshua Sumi said Therie will finish off Congress as long as he remained NPCC president and so demanded that Therie resign in the interest of the Congress. Further, Joshua alleged that Therie was “pro-BJP” and against ENPO, and the Naga solution. Due to these, Therie should step down said Joshua and vowed that the protests would continue.
Former DCC president Kohima Prasiele Peinyu recalled that earlier Therie was expelled from Congress and again from the NPF. Pienyu said when Therie was planning to join BJP, he was appointed as NPCC president. Pienyu warned that if anything happened to the Congress party leaders and if the present NPCC president took action against them, Therie would be held solely responsible. Pienyu appealed to the AICC to remove Therie before he finished the Congress in Nagaland.
Sulanthung intervened to say that a person who had hurt the sentiments of the ENPO, against Naga political issue etc should resign “today”. Sulanthung also led the protestors in shouting slogan against Therie. Besides other ex-MLAs those who were also present included K.V. Pusa.
NPCC officials, KDCC condemn: NPCC officials and Kohima District Congress Committee (KDCC) have vehemently condemned the action of “some few disgruntled senior party leaders who attempted to lock down the office of PCC president before the office hours”, NPCC media cell stated in a press note.
At the joint meeting of the NPCC officials and KDCC held at the Congress Bhavan on Friday, house resolved “to stand behind the leadership of K. Therie, who has been appointed president NPCC by madam Sonia Gandhi, president AICC,” the media cell said.
While reaffirming its commitment and dedication to the party, the also house resolved “not tolerate any undesirable activities within the party”. The members urged upon the party leadership to take appropriate action against any Congress members violating the party discipline and directives. Further, the house also resolved to appeal to all Congress members to uphold the ideologies and principles of the INC.
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