Archives
politics
A day after imposition of President’s rule in Nagaland, Governor Mr. K. Sankaranarayanan had a meeting with senior officers of the state government in his office in the Civil Secretariat at Kohima on the 4th the January. Addressing the officers, the Governor made it clear that there should be co-ordination among the government servants from the top to the bottom and asserted that transparency and clarity is a must in running the government. “This is an excellent opportunity and a great challenge for government servants to prove to the people at large that it can deliver the goods. Together we have to create the right impact and ensure delivery of services for the citizens of the state” the Governor said, adding “government servants are actually serving the people and not themselves.”
Outlining his vision to provide proper financial management and discipline, the Governor said that no expenditure 
should be incurred without budget provisions and asked all departments to incur expenditure within what has been sanctioned. He said that no liabilities should be created and supply orders should not be issued for the sake of doing so.
On the system of appointments, the Governor categorically stated that no adhoc appointments should be made and asked the Chief Secretary to issue necessary directions in this regard. He said that all appointments have to be made as per due process specified.
Outlining his target to gear up developmental activities in the state, the Governor accorded top priority to improving roads in the state. Provision of drinking water, health care and quality education are other areas in which the Governor emphasized for effective implementation of the ongoing programmes. The Governor called upon the senior officers of the state government to ensure law and order, improve implementation and monitoring of developmental schemes and improve collection of revenue.
After the address of the Governor, the Chief Secretary emphasized on punctuality and strict adherence to the rules of Executive Business under President’s rule. He also convened a Security Co-ordination meeting of senior police and paramilitary personnel at Police Head Quarters, Kohima to give priority to security for the people of the state and maintenance of law and order during the period of President’s rule.
At the outset, the Governor clarified that the President’s rule is not an “Army Rule” but a “Civil Rule”. This is the fourth time that Nagaland has been placed under President’s rule and the Governor stated that the entire responsibility of administration, law and order is shared by the State Government, Police Officers and the Governor. The Governor said that in order to ensure maintenance of law and order, the Rule of Law should be upheld in all spheres of life. With the state due for elections very soon, the prime role in security is to be played by the State Police Officers and jawans who should be prepared to handle any law and order problem in the state. Besides this, the Governor also said that the intelligence collecting agencies should be geared up and these should work in close co-ordination and share vital information with each other and take effective action to prevent any potential treats to law and order. He also stated that any laxity on the part of senior police officers in the case of breakdown of law and order would not be tolerated. Another crucial area of concern for the police forces, he said, is the maintenance of discipline at the check gates. Above all, the Governor said that the endeavour during President’s rule should be to ensure that citizens feel secure and that no acts of violence take place. The Governor further stated, that he hoped that with support, co-ordination and hard work, the state will be able to achieve the long cherished dream of Peace in Nagaland.
The Bharatiya Janata Party, meanwhile has taken a firm stand in blaming the Congress Party in Nagaland for the imposition of President’s rule in the state. BJP leader Dr. T. M. Lotha said that the Congress legislators from Nagaland have been camping at Delhi with their one point agenda, that is to bring Army rule in Nagaland by exerting heavy pressure on the Congress led UPA government at the centre. He said that the Naga people have suffered a lot under Army Rule and that they will not take kindly to the Congress party for imposition of President’s rule in a bid to further their (the Congress) political mileage at the cost of the Naga people. Dr. Lotha said that instead of strengthening the peace process, the Congress was trying its best to jeopardize the ongoing peace talks by bringing President’s rule to Nagaland and that the Congress shall be held solely responsible if anything goes wrong in the peace process. He further questioned why the Congress led UPA government at the centre applied different yardsticks when it came to the implementation of Article 356 of the Constitution. They allowed the Goa government to continue while they sacked the DAN government in Nagaland unconstitutionally, he said.
The Congress has also drawn criticism from both the Members of parliament from Nagaland, Wangyuh Konyak and TR Zeliang who opined that the Centre has imposed President’s rule in Nagaland merely to rig the elections in their favour. Both the MPs said that President’s rule will provide more avenues to some of the NPF defectors who have enjoyed the cream of the DAN government and NPF party. They also said that Article 356 of the Constitution which aims to protect against the failure of Constitutional machinery in a state has been abused by the Congress party in Nagaland, which is the height of travesty of justice to the Nagas. They alleged that the Congress party which freed the country from foreign rule is now unable to free itself from the political greed of retaining power through illicit means. They disclosed that the NPF has chosen to challenge the President’s rule in the Supreme Court as soon as possible. The two MPs are of the opinion that President’s rule will greatly hamper the trust of the Nagas in the Union Government and that President’s rule in the state is nothing but the Constitutional blackmail of all Nagas. The MPs condemned the ‘hideous act’ of the Union Government stating that it has overthrown a constitutionally elected government for illegally promoting and furthering the chances of the Congress party in the state.
The Leader of Opposition, I. Imkong however, holds a very different view of the imposition of President’s rule in Nagaland. Mr. Imkong is of the opinion that Constitutional propriety has been upheld and justice has been delivered by the Government of India to the people of Nagaland. In Nagaland, the general public are rejoicing and celebrating because Neiphiu Rio’s illegal government has been dismissed, Imkong said and assured that all help and co-operation would be extended to the Governor of Nagaland who has taken over the reins of administration to ensure that the security and welfare of the people is protected. Asked to comment on the allegations that the Congress had resorted to an unconstitutional move, Imkong replied, “Do you think that it is unconstitutional to demand for dismissal of the Rio Government after it was reduced to a minority on December 13th, 2007 on the Floor of the House?” Reacting to Rio’s statement that “democracy had been murdered”, Imkong resorted, “Rio is singing our old song. He and the Speaker had brutally murdered democracy on December 13th, 2007 which we have declared as the blackest day in the history of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly. And now he is crying hoarse too late.” When asked if the President’s rule would have any adverse effect on the ongoing peace process, Imkong stated that President’s rule has been imposed for only a short while and that the election process is about to begin. “It will have no bearing on the ongoing peace process”, he said. Meanwhile, while replying to queries from the media about the future prospects of the Congress in Nagaland, Imkong said, “We expect to ramp home and form the Government on our own. We are confident of an overwhelming majority.” He also voiced the desire of the Nagaland Progressive Alliance to form the new government by saying, “The NPA is ready to form the government in Nagaland if invited to do so by the Governor.” Mr. Imkong who is also the leader of the NPA clarified that the Congress Party never demanded for President’s Rule in Nagaland. It only demanded for the dismissal of the illegal DAN government which lost the vote of confidence in the Nagaland Legislative Assembly on December 13 2007. Mr. Imkong also said that the DAN brought President’s rule to Nagaland through their arrogance and stubbornness and as a result of their attempt to cling to power in spite of the no-confidence motion.
Former Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, on the other hand blamed the Congress party for the President’s rule in Nagaland. “When the NDA government held power during 1999-2004, the centre gave the state, ‘economic package, the Congress party gave the state ‘President’s Rule package’, he said. “At a time when people were in a festive mood, the Congress party went to Delhi before Christmas and spent their Christmas and New Year demanding President’s rule from the Union Government and finally they succeeded in bringing ‘President’s rule package’ to the state”, he stated. Mr. Rio also pointed out that the imposition of President’s rule in the state should not be a discouragement and people should not feel down heartened. “The people of Nagaland will give a befitting reply during the polls,”, he said. He also added that DAN will not remain a silent spectator but will take the matter to court as President’s rule has been illegally imposed on a duly elected government adding further that they will fight till justice is restored. Along this same line, the Guwahati High Court on January 9th admitted a case challenging the Centre’s imposition of President’s rule in Nagaland. The writ petition was filed by the Nagaland People’s Front (NPF).
Informing this, Abu Metha, press secretary and spokesman of NPF said that the case came up for hearing in serial number 4 and on behalf of NPF party, former Attorney General of India, Soli Sohrabjee presented the case and the court admitted the case and set January 25th as the deadline for the Union of India to file a counter affidavit. He also disclosed that the next hearing is fixed on February 5th. Mr. Metha said that the admission of the case in court itself is a victory for the NPF.
Xavier Rutsa
