A day after Nagaland Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio, made a statement to clear the air over his comments on the issue of Naga integration, the Naga People’s Front (NPF) on Thursday while appreciating the Chief Minister’s stand questioned the reason for his purported ‘declaration’ that integration was not possible anymore.
Also read: Nagaland: Rio clarification on integration of contiguous Naga areas
A press statement from the NPF asked why the Chief Minister had to ‘demean himself so low as to succumb to external forces thereby compromising the future of the Nagas’.
Stating that the Chief Minister embarrassed himself when he blamed the media for misquoting his June 12, 2018 statement in New Delhi, NPF said it was done so as an ‘excuse’ to escape the glaring eyes of the public.
NPF also said that Nagas have every right to question the Chief Minister under what circumstances or obligation the PDA government ‘bargained’ with the Central Government the long cherished dream of the Naga people.
Further, the NPF expressed dismay at the Chief Minister for avoiding clarification on the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016.
The statement said that Naga people want to know on what ground his government would not oppose the Bill that has caused uproar in the country.
According to NPF, the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 was ‘simply a multiplication table’ to increase more illegal immigrants into the State for more vote banks.
The statement also asked how far Nagas have been protected under this Special Provision Article 371 A from illegal immigrants such as Dimapur and other adjoining areas in the last 55 years.
The NPF further warned that it would neither remain a mute spectator to injustice done to the Nagas nor would it allow the PDA leaders and the Chief Minister to play with the future of the Naga people.