Nagaland Congress, on Tuesday, said the call for an apology for the recent Oting massacre in which 14 civilians were killed by the security forces, ‘demeaned’ the entire resolution of the Nagaland Assembly.
Holding a special session to discuss repeal of AFSPA in the state on Monday, the state Assembly adopted a five-point resolution.
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One of the resolutions called for an apology from “appropriate authority” for the killings, along with an assurance that justice will be delivered by applying the laws of the land on those who perpetrated the inhuman massacre and on those who are responsible for the incident.
“The call for apology over a massacre is an insult to the bereaved families, their villages and the community of Nagaland as the people want justice not an apology,” Nagaland Congress president K Therie said.
He said: “It is an insult to the voice of the people crying for justice.”
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Condemning the resolution, he said the Nagaland Assembly has shamed Naga Bravehearts.
The Pradesh Congress chief said apology over the massacre is not acceptable as killings and apologies cannot be the “law of precedence”.
He added that the resolution is blunt towards justice.
Therie said the chief minister and the home minister are answerable to the people of Nagaland, adding they cannot run away from their responsibilities.
“They should answer whether 21 paramilitary troopers have come with their knowledge or not. If yes, why? If not, why should they not proceed with criminal proceedings against them? They cannot take cover under AFSPA,” he said.
Therie said the people’s demand is justice and they want the culprits to be booked according to the law.
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He added that the resolution is trying to impress that the state government is innocent, making it look like the army has conducted the operation without authority from the Nagaland state.
“If so, the army has violated the Constitution and committed an untenable crime against humanity. If not, the army should point out who is responsible,” he said.
Therie added that according to constitutional provisions, the army has no authority to just come from another state and indiscriminately shoot and kill innocent and peaceful citizens.