DIMAPUR: The Rising People’s Party (RPP) demanded that the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP)-BJP coalition government in Nagaland convene a special session of the state assembly at the earliest to pass resolutions to nullify the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, 2023, and nib in the bud the narrative of UCC in the state.
“Given the serious circumstance, any layman in Nagaland is now well versed with the two issues such as the ramifications such legislations have for the state if the state government does not voice out our collective opposition at this juncture,” the RPP said in a statement on Thursday.
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According to the party, the people’s mandated NDPP-BJP coalition should have the eagerness to protect the state from any adverse agenda which seeks to render the constitutionally protected Nagaland “impotent” with legislative measures such as the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, 2023,” or the UCC, which if implemented, would render Article 371A in the state inconsequential.
“Therefore, there is no excuse for the chief minister to make loud proclamations that the state is already protected from the adverse effects of The Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, 2023 or the UCC for that matter,” it said.
Also read: Nagaland governor summons state assembly session on September 11
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The party stressed that any government styling itself as a regional party should be willing to protect the territorial integrity of the state at any cost.
“However, till date the ugly sequence of surrenders to majoritarian politics on quite a number of issues out of sheer cowardice or fear of stoppage of central funds is non-acceptable,” it said.
The party also sought to bring to the notice of the NDPP-BJP coalition that the “staunchly patriotic and progressive Kerala Legislative Assembly” has already passed a resolution opposing the UCC, a first in the country.
It questioned whether the NDPP-BJP coalition can safeguard the state in the face of the central government’s onslaught in the form of UCC and the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, 2023.