Expressing pain over the events that have unfolded in the state, Lok Sabha, Neiphiu Rio on Wednesday said the reluctance of the state government to listen to the voice of the masses has resulted in total breakdown of a peaceful atmosphere culminating in the loss of two precious lives and injury to many.
In a press release, MP (Lok Sabha) Neiphiu Rio said that despite the advice of the apex tribal hohos and mass based civil society organisations, the state government had gone ahead and passed a resolution in the Assembly that was against the customary practices and wishes of the people.
He said the situation of confrontation has reached such a stage where virtual faceoff has been declared between the state and the people.
Reiterating his statement dated November 19, 2016 that the issue of conduct of ULB elections needed to be implemented only after dialogue with all stakeholders and the tribal hohos, the MP said sufficient warning was issued by the hohos and mass based organisations, but the government continued to pursue conduct of the ULB elections.
Rio added that this compelled the people to take to the streets and voice their aspirations.
He said repeated appeals were made to set aside the civic elections, but the “exact opposite happened as the state government opposed and confronted every section of society.” MP said the situation unfortunately worsened and peaceful protest ended in violence, bloodshed and death.
“The damage is irreversible and the overall scenario has crossed alarming levels,” Rio said. Welcoming the intervention and concern of the church, the MP said Naga people responded to the call of the church with mass state-wide prayer on Sunday, January 29. With the positive role of the church, he said the civil society organisations and the state government signed mutual agreement to postpone the elections.
However, he lamented that the state again went back on its word and betrayed the confidence of the people, especially the church.
Maintaining that all these blunders could have been avoided if the state had taken the people into confidence, Rio asserted that in a democratic society, the elected government must listen to the masses whose mandate was the very reason why the government existed.
MP appealed to all sections for retrain and also urged the state government to listen to the voice of the people in the greater interest of Nagas.
Meanwhile, the former chief minister has conveyed deepest condolences to the members of the bereaved families and prayed Almighty God grant them strength and solace at this painful time.
He said late Bendangnungsang Longkumer and late Khriesavizo Metha have made the supreme sacrifice by giving their lives while responding to the call of the Naga people. “The sacrifice will be recorded in the annals of our history for all times to come,” Rio said. He also wished speedy recovery to the injured persons.
Appealing for calm, restrain and understanding, the MP said the only way forward to overcome this serious crisis was understanding, dialogue along with genuine concern for the welfare and future of the Nagas.
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