Present Govt. has no economic policy or programme to safeguard future generation: Dr Liezietsu
MOKOKCHUNG, NOVEMBER 23: The Naga People’s Front (NPF) sounding the bugle for the 2023 Nagaland election today started the process of re-strengthening the party at the grassroots level.
NPF president Dr Shurhozelie Liezietsu launched the district tour starting NPF Mokokchung division, the first after the NPF strength was reduced to mere 4 from 25 following the deserting of 21 to the ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) on April 29.
The NPF chief was accompanied by a huge delegation of the party central leaders including working presidents Thenucho Tunyi and Huska Sumi, secretary general Achumbemo Kikon and NPF Legislature Party leader & co-chairman of United Democratic Alliance, MLA Kuzholuzo Nienu.
Addressing the leaders and party workers of the 10 NPF Assembly Constituency units under Mokokchung district at the NPF divisional office, Dr Liezietsu said, “When the 21 legislators defected with 20 MLAs, many people were of the opinion that NPF was finished, but for us it is not. Though they betrayed their own party and their own electorates by defecting to another political party, the NPF functionaries in all the divisions (districts) remained intact.”
Saying that the present Assembly has already completed its tenure of 5 years, he said the number game in the Assembly is already over and it is time to select new candidates for the ensuing election.
He said NPF has no regret for the defected MLAs and quoted Lord Tennyson’s words “It is better to have a hundred enemies outside the house than one inside”.
The NPF president also went on to allege that the present Nagaland Government has no economic policy, no fiscal policy, no programme for human development and has no programme to safeguard the welfare of the future generation and asserted that if the party take over the Government then it will frame appropriate economic policy and make the State self-sufficient and remove dependency syndrome.
The State economy is ‘nose diving’ and not self-contained but we become fully dependent on others and accused that the present Government reduced the Naga people into parasitic society, he said adding that today, the poor become poorer and rich become richer, poverty and inequality has been raising its ugly head he said adding that class system which was never known in the Naga society in the past is appearing fast.
Therefore, he called upon the people that we need change urgently and stressed the need to introduce the right type of economic policy. He also maintained that Nagaland has many capable officers to plan good economic policy for the State and they have knowledge and capacity to implement it to make Nagaland a self-reliant State but the present Government is lacking the encouragement and initiative and it appears they are too busy counting their money individually.
Calling upon the party functionaries to tell the Naga people that NPF will work hard and see that they will take over the Government, the NPF chief asserted that “if NPF takes over the government, it will frame the appropriate economic policy suited to the State’s condition to make the State self-sufficient and to remove dependency syndrome.
“We will also work out the right type of fiscal policy by the experts to see that money is made available to the public by various Departments; money is spent for the purpose for which it is given, mounting figures of liability and debt will be checked, easy money will be checked, release the salaries of the Government servants in time”, he said.
NPF will also work out policies for human development by the experts in various ways, such as social, cultural, language, religion, etc, he said.
Affirming to set up voluntary youth brigade in all villages in collaboration with the churches to check evils like the present unchecked flow of liquor, drugs, etc, he said “To save our generation, we must check HIV, and to do that we will open counselling centres and to convert the HIV patients as respectable teachers and counsellors by giving them dignified status”.
NPF Legislature Party leader and co-chairman of UDA, Kuzholuzo Nienu said Christianity in the land of Nagas started from Mokokchung district and shifting political loyalty from regional to BJP is betraying the faith.
He asked the party supporters not to play a double standard game by supporting NPF in the village and other parties elsewhere adding with elections round the corner, people will flock here and there into political parties while the 21 former NPF legislators have gone for good.
“They leaving is the best thing ever happened to NPF and now we should stand firm and work hard to bring back as many MLAs to form the next government in the State.
We defeated 59 MLAs in the 2003 State elections and we will be able to create another history with the support and hard work of party leaders, workers and supporters in the coming elections. Everybody has to contribute their bit to bring the party back to power”, said Nienu.
He also asked everybody to move out of their comfort zone and to contribute their bit to bring back the party to power.
NPF secretary general Achumbemo Kikon, while saying that NPF represents the sentiments and wishes of the Naga people in general, reiterated that Party’s collective stand “for an inclusive, honourable and acceptable solution to the Naga political issue”.
He said that it is because of the consistent stand of the NPF on Naga Political Issue that the people have understood the political ideology of the NPF and it has been sustaining for the last 60 years.
“NPF has never failed the people on developmental issues and the Naga political issue and we will never fail you even in the days to come”, he said while urging the party functionaries to take the message to the grassroots and seek their support to form the next government.
On the occasion, senior leaders of the district including former legislators Takuyaba and I Imkong declared their support to the NPF Party and asserted to work for the next government under NPF.
NPF Mokokchung division president Moasangba Jamir said that while it had produced 4 MLAs in the last general elections, it was very unfortunate that 3 defected. Nonetheless, the treacherous defection has not affected the party.
Recently met the intending candidates for 21 Tuli, 23 Impur, 24 Angetyongpang, 25 Mongoya, 28 Koridang, 29 Jangpetkong and 20 Alongtaki Assembly Constituencies and awaiting response, he said while expressing hope for a positive response.
Since the formative years of the regional party with the cock symbol, the Aos have always stood tall and steadfast through thick and thin, weathering all storms with the regional party, he said.
Chaired by NPF Mokokchung general secretary (admin) Tangit Imsong, invocation was pronounced by Rev Luin while Alemla enthralled the gathering with special numbers.
(Page News Service)
