Dr. Shürhozelie advises JCC not to test patience

Nagaland chief minister Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsü has termed the renewed ultimatums served on the government by civil bodies like Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) as “a test of patience” which has a limit and advised such bodies to maintain a peaceful atmosphere and not to test the limit of others.
Speaking as the guest speaker at the NPF Kohima Division Leaders Meet at IG Stadium, here Wednesday, Dr Shürhozelie said civility should be maintained at all cost and people ought to forgive one another and move forward.
While expressing regrets over the incidents that led to loss of two precious lives, Dr. Shürhozelie said he had conveyed a message to JCC to desist from creating further situations out of the issue for the common good of all. He was referring the ultimatum served by JCC on the government to suspend some police officers.
While hinting that pursuing the Dimapur incident on January 30 could lead to embarrassments, Dr Shürhozelie disclosed that the bullet retrieved from the Chakhesang youth injured on the night the two youths were slain was not from any of the weapons used by the security forces in the state.
He maintained that since the case was under police investigation, it would best for everyone to stop creating more differences out of the tragic incident.
On the ULB issue, he questioned the logical meaning behind rallying against 33% reservation based on customary practices when women are outperforming men in every sphere.
Citing simple examples of customary traditions where women were not allowed to touch weapons or included in the decision making bodies, CM said nowadays we have weapon wielding Mahilla battalion to provide security in the streets and also have lady officers in the form of DCs and Secretaries who make decisions everyone has to follow. Therefore the applicability of customary practices in an urban society is rather impractical and people should not be confused that we are living in the 21st Century, we have to think and act accordingly, times have changed, he said.
On the political front, Dr. Shürhozelie exhorted his party-men not to get carried away by news of a new political party that would soon be floated by former Member of Parliament Chingwang Konyak. He said, “You know your leaders, the principles of your party and the policies we pursue so there is no need to worry since in a democratic set-up anyone can float any party and no one can object that but the important thing is the principle under which the party would work and in that regard we have a sound principle which have been in place since its inception in 1963.”
He exuded confidence that the party would come out with thumping victory even in the forth coming elections in 2018 and that there was no party which could replace NPF in the state. He said Congress era had ended all over the country and that the ruling BJP was an alliance of NPF in the state.
On the achievements of the party, Dr. Shürhozelie said after NPF had come to power in the state, it had helped the Nagas in Myanmar (Burma) to gain recognition enabling them to even elect representatives among themselves who had now become part of Aung San Suu Kyi’s government.
He said the party was working for the betterment not only for the Nagas of Nagaland but even for ones living in neighbouring states like Manipur, Assam, Arunachal and Myanmar, he said “We must lookout for our neighbours and help them live better lives”.
Expressing regret over the hardships faced by the Nagas in Manipur under the rule of O Ibobi Singh, who, he said, “hated the Nagas”, Dr. Shürhozelie said the four NPF legislators in Manipur were now included in the BJP government owing to the alliance that was in place in Nagaland.
On the Naga Political Issue, Dr. Shürhozelie said the party was working for a solution based on inclusiveness with more urgency and commitment.
He said the rechristened Political Affairs Mission (PAM) would now work closely with all the Naga Political Groups (NPGs) and make them aware of the need to wait and see if the Framework Agreement signed between NSCN (I-M) and Government of India (GOI) would benefit all the Nagas.
He said although NPF was in support of the agreement, he made it clear that the support should not be misinterpreted as biasness towards a single faction since NPF was in support of any lasting solution provided it was inclusive and acceptable to every Naga.
Minister Parliamentary Affairs, Social Security & Welfare, Kiyaneilie Peseyie who is also the minister incharge of Kohima division in a short speech urged the party-men to be united and work towards a stronger party in the face of adversaries.
Former chief minister and DAN chairman, TR Zeliang in his speech lauded Dr Shürhozelie under whose leadership the party stood firm even when it was hit by “external forces” who tried to topple the government and create disunity among the party men.
He also gave thanks to God for the smooth transition of the chief ministership to the party president.
Calling for a need to start working for the forth coming election, Zeliang said the work should start from Kohima and thereby spread to the other units all over the state.
Listing out the achievements of the DAN-III government under his two years and nine months as the CM, Zeliang said chief among the achievements were the land procurement for the North East Christian University, land procurement for the Medical College, the inclusion of Kohima in the smart city program, four-lane of National Highway 29 etc.
He called on the need to change Nagaland based on the policies in the Vision 2030, he added that the people would not move forward without having a vision.
Earlier the meet was chaired by NPF Kohima Division, working president Kesoneilie Theünuo, while Kohima Division president Goneiu Sirie delivered the presidential address.