Govt offices set ablaze in Kohima, situation deteriorating
Source: The Sangai Express / ET

Guwahati, February 02 2017: Nagaland is under the grip of full blown crisis with large number of Government offices burnt down by protestors on Thursday.

The Kohima Press Club, was also set ablaze late in the evening today.

Director General of Nagaland police, LL Dungell told ET, "There is large scale arson in capital city Kohima, the situation is getting worse" .

Urban local body polls (ULB) in Nagaland has snowballed into a political slugfest with protestors refusing to bury the body of two persons killed in the Tuesday's violence till Nagaland Chief Minister TR Zeliang and other Ministers resign.

The Government has shutdown the mobile internet service and urban polls was slated for February 1.Tribal bodies are opposing the State Government decision of granting 33 per cent reservation for women in the ULB.

Tribal organizations felt that 33 per cent women reservation would infringe into the special rights guaranteed by Article 371(A) of the Constitution.

This article provides special provision with respect to the State of Nagaland.

The Article states, "No Act of Parliament in respect of religious or social practices of the Nagas, Naga customary law and procedure, administration of civil and criminal justice involving decisions according to Naga customary law, ownership and transfer of land and its resources, shall apply to the State of Nagaland unless the Legislative Assembly of Nagaland by a resolution so decides." On Tuesday there were clashes between the police and protestors leading to the death of two people and injuring several others at Dimapur and Longleng.

On Wednesday violence continued with protesters ransacking the office of the election commission in Mokokchung district and office of the ruling Naga People's Front (NPF) .

Nagaland Chief Electoral Officer Sentiyanger Imchen issued a notification stating the local body election, which was to be held in 12 towns across the State was "withheld" due to the abnormal situation prevailing across the State and also as desired by the State Cabinet.

The various tribe organisations and the Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) have vowed to continue with the indefinite Statewide bandh till the Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) Government resigns.

BJP is also a member of the DAN coalition.

Expelled member of NPF, former Chief Minister and Lok Sabha MP, Neiphiu Rio has trained guns on DAN Government and said that the reluctance of the State Government to listen to the voice of the masses has resulted in total breakdown of a peaceful atmosphere culminating in the loss of two precious lives and injury to many.

Rio said that despite the advice of the apex tribal hohos and mass based civil society organisations, the State Government had gone ahead and passed a resolution in the Assembly that was against the customary practices and wishes of the people.

The issue of conduct of ULB elections needed to be implemented only after dialogue with all stakeholders and the tribal hohos.

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