NTC ridicules govt’s proposed consultative meeting Nagaland Tribes Council (NTC) took a dig at the proposed consultative meeting convened by the state government on September 26 over Nagaland Special Development Zone (NSDZ) by terming it as “amusing” since the meeting was to scrutinize the resolution of the Nagaland Assembly on March 24, 2014. Prior to the meeting, NTC said “a set of silly and rudimentary questionnaires” was placed before the elected members, political parties and a few civil organisations” which amounted to “undermining the calibre of the invitees”. In addition, a concept note on NSDZ was being circulated having “high sounding promises such as foothill Super Highway of 4-8 lane roads with parallel railway lines, employment opportunities for the youth, faster growth and development of the state’s economy”, it said. NTC said the 74 km 2-lane NH 29 from Dimapur to Kohima was in shambles, despite the promise of then prime minister of India to convert it into 4-lane, because “this government failed to avail it”. It said the government was expected to talk sensibly, realistically and practically since the question was who would finance the 8-lane roads and who will maintain it? Stating that dreams are to be tenable and tangible, NTC posed the following questions on the state government: (a) whether NSDZ is a developmental project or a package “ to sell out the birth right of Nagas of Nagaland?”; (b) can the indigenous Nagas of Nagaland exist when they become landless in their own land? (c) should people remain silent when the government of the day was hell bent on abrogating the protective constitutional provisions for the sake of stakeholders?; (d) is it advisable to let the present government open the floodgates to Nagas from other states in having full access to enjoy the indigenous rights at par with the sons of the soil?; (e) what privileges Nagas of Nagaland can enjoy in neighbouring states in reciprocity? (f) is the government for outsiders or for Nagas of Nagaland? NTC reminded that Nagaland was insulated by Article 371(A), the Nagaland Land and Revenue (Amendment)Act 1978 and the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation Act 1873 (ILP) and therefore, Nagas of Nagaland ought to know that infringement of the above, in any manner, would reduce them as secondary citizens in their own land. NTC reiterated that it would leave no stone unturned to protect and defend these provisions and to act as guardians of the aspirations and wishes of the indigenous people of Nagaland. NTC reiterated that it not oppose developments within the framework of the above provisions but that development cannot substitute people’s fundamental rights of existence of Nagas of Nagaland. NTC asked Naga Hoho to lucidly interpret its resolution on NSDZ that “reservations with regard to the land and transfer of ownership, which contradicted the age old customary practice of the Nagas” which appeared in the local media on September 11. It said Nagas of Nagaland need clarity and not ambiguity on the crucial issue. NTC stated it does not appreciate the modus operandi of the state government in passing the buck on NGOs or other political parties for “its wrongdoings” to proceed ahead with its “camouflaged bourgeois programme under the protection of such platforms at the expense of the indigenous Nagas”. NTC termed the whole consultative exercise as “nothing but exploitation of the Nagas of Nagaland for selfish interests” to accommodate outsiders. It may be pointed out that the state government had not invited the NTC for the consultative meeting though it had extended invitations to all other NGOs etc.
Posted on: Fri, 26 Sep 2014 02:14:23 +0000
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