NPF Office Bearers reaffirm support

Kohima: 14th August, 2017

Resolutions

The Central Office Bearers of the Naga People’s Front, Central Headquarters, Kohima, Nagaland, met at the Party Office on August 14, 2017, at 11 am, and having deliberated at length on the political scenario prevailing in the State, arrived at the following conclusions:

The Governor of Nagaland, instead of applying his mind to summon the Assembly giving reasonable time for the then Chief Minister Dr Shurhozelie Liezietsu to call for a vote of confidence, was in a tearing hurry to dislodge the Dr Shurhozelie Government so as to enable the new dispensation to merge with the BJP. But this move was thwarted only by the timely decision of the NPF leadership who did not hesitate to suspend and expel the ring leaders.

Furthermore, as Custodian of the Constitution of India in the State, the Governor should have rectified the anomaly in the Assembly when the Speaker mysteriously accepted the Whip of expelled NPF member TR Zeliang as the official Whip of the NPF party notwithstanding the fact that Kiyanilie Peseyie, who was appointed as the Chief Whip of the NPF party on November 14, 2014 and accepted by the Assembly Secretariat vide notification dated November 15, 2014, continues to be the official Chief Whip of the NPF party.

Non-action on the part of the Governor on this very count has made him equally responsible for the desecration of the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution of India which clearly mentions that it is the political party which appoints the Chief Whip and by no other entity. Therefore, the Central Office Bearers of the Naga People’s Front vehemently condemn the partisan role played by the Governor and demand that he be immediately recalled by the Government of India so as to ensure the integrity of the Constitution of India is maintained in these far-flung, trouble-torn regions of the country.

The Speaker of Nagaland Legislative Assembly has demeaned, misused and abused the hallowed office of the Office and reduced the proceedings of the Assembly to a family affair when he inexplicably accepted both the Whip issued by the legal and authorized Chief Whip Kiyanilie Peseyie, and the Whip issued by his brother-in-law TR Zeliang. By opting to accept two whips from the same political party, the Speaker has defiled the very aim behind the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution of India which envisages to give power/ authority to the political parties to rein in the legislators to adhere to the principles of the political party they belong to.

Therefore, the Central Office Bearers of the NPF condemn the arbitrary and biased action of the Speaker and demand that he step down immediately so as to maintain the traditionally-accepted parliamentary democratic norm of keeping the office of the Speaker above political considerations. After all, the office of the Speaker is no place or position to please one’s in-laws, or to keep them in good humour.

The Constitution of the NPF party clearly mentions about the process to appoint Central Office Bearers, and it was through these Constitutional procedures that the party President Dr Shurhozelie Liezietsu along with the present team of office bearers were elected on November 26, 2014 and reaffirmed as required by the Election Commission of India at the Special General Convention on April 30, 2015.

And whereas, Dr Shurhozelie Liezietsu is the legally, Constitutionally-elected President of the Naga People’s Front, the Central Office Bearers are of the unanimous view that he alone shall be recognized as the one and only party President of the NPF party for all practical purposes, and vehemently decry the illegal appointment of one so-called bogus Interim President by some expelled and suspended NPF MLAs.

Nowhere in the Constitution of the NPF party is it mentioned about the post or position of any Interim or Ad Hoc or Work Charged President and the announcement of such a post by suspended and expelled NPF MLAs is illegal and ultra vires meant only to confuse the party rank and file. At no point of time were legislators of the party, least of all suspended and expelled members, authorized or vested with Constitutional competence to appoint even a primary member of the party.

In this connection, the Central Office Bearers of the NPF party appeal to party men and women not to be swayed away by false, illogical, illegal and mischievous announcements made by vested interests determined to break up the unity, integrity and cohesion of the NPF party.

Resolution Committee:

Phushika V Aomi
Member

Lepshi Ao
Member

Sebastian Zumvu
Convenor