The Joint Co-ordination Committee (JCC) on Friday dismissed Nagaland home minister Y. Patton’s statement on the January 30 tripartite agreement between state government and JCC in the presence of NBCC (third party) saying the statement was nothing but just a “wild imagination” of Patton to mislead the Naga people.
JCC convenor Supu Jamir said Zeliang clearly stated in the said meeting that postponement of ULB elections will be done with immediate effect but with regard to 2-month duration as demanded by JCC, Zeliang and Patton reportedly stated it will be subject to cabinet and SEC and not as stated by Patton. He dismissed Patton’s statement as a blatant lie. He maintained that JCC’s had at no point in the meeting agreed to holding ULB elections with 33% women reservation and added JCC sought 2-month time to educate and dialogue with the public with regard to reservation and the outcome of which was to be intimated to the state government.
The sentence “subject to decision of the cabinet and state election committee” was meant solely to discuss the timeframe/duration of postponement and nothing else, Supu stated.
Therefore, Patton’s statement that JCC agreed to hold ULB election with 33% women reservation is nothing less than his wild imagination, Supu stated.
Supu also shot back at Patton saying JCC appealed for postponement of ULB elections in the whole state and not partially. According to him, the definition of ‘ULB elections’ was self-explanatory as it means elections for the entire state and that there shouldn’t be any confusion.
JCC also refuted the ‘shortage of time’ statement by Patton saying the meeting stretched on for almost three hours and thus both side had amble time to discuss all issues. The committee also questioned the home minister as to who he was referring to when he say ‘non-stakeholders, as JCC was empowered/endorsed by apex tribal hohos.
With regard to NBCC not saying they were ‘betrayed by the chief minister and government’, JCC said NBCC may not have uttered a word but the deceit of JCC and NBCC by the government was well known to the Nagas and therefore the home minister should know that ‘action speak louder than words’.
In view of Patton’s statement, JCC said the agreement was reached upon in order to avoid bloodshed.
While maintaining that the January 30 agreement was now ‘buried’ and rendered null and void, JCC said both NTAC and JCC on February 10 made it clear to the state governor that if the state government still reiterates the said agreement, it can be discussed only if the state government bring back to life those deceased who died in police firing.
Moreover, JCC stated the SEC had officially nullified the ULB elections and therefore there was absolutely no scope to review the ‘dead’ agreement under any circumstances.
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