Kohima | May 16 : The Opposition Congress claimed that the people of the State have lost the confidence in the administration under Neiphiu Rio led DAN Government, and has  sought the intervention of the Governor to ask the Central Government to step in and “save” the State and its people. “The total Constitutional breakdown must be controlled and saved at all cost”, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) stated in a representation to Governor K Sankaranarayanan signed by sixteen CLP members stated here today.

Drawing the attention of the Governor on the recent spate of killings in Dimapur and Wokha district and also the unprecedented rise in prices of essential commodities, the Opposition Congress expressed apprehension that the situation will deteriorate and turn the state into anarchy. “We have a strong conviction that if this government is allowed to continue further, there will be further deterioration of the entire situation which will turn into a state of anarchy.”While expressing skeptical of the lukewarm attitude of the government headed by Neiphiu Rio who is responsible for controlling law and order situation and control exorbitant price rise,  the Opposition also expressed belief that Rio government is directly or indirectly patronizing some faction of the UGs to escalate the situation thereby endangering and jeopardizing innocent lives of the public. “With so many forces under his command, it is his bounden responsibility to protect and defend the lives of the innocent”, the Opposition asserted.
Addressing a press conference at the CLP bungalow, the CLP members led by Opposition Leader I Imkong also expressed apprehension of a civil war in the State if the ongoing law and order situation is not arrested.

While revealing that the CLP members also met the Chief Minister today and discussed on the ongoing law and order situation, Imkong claimed that Rio continues to maintain that the ongoing factional clash and killing is a political problem. When civilian casualties are involved or their property damage, it can’t be a political problem he said, adding “when any killing is involved, it’s not a political problem”.

Taking serious concern on the ongoing factional clash in and around Wokha and Dimapur and the mounting casualties, Imkong claimed that the State government and the security forces had failed to implement the “Standard Operation Procedure” (SOP), which was issued by the Union Home Ministry in January this year.
Rio can’t shift the blame to the GoI when union Home Minister has made it very clear that Law and Order is a state subject, said Opposition MLA Tokheho. He also wondered why the state government failed to protect the life and property of the civilian if the latter has enough force.

On the other hand, CLP member Deo Nukhu pointed out that Rio has been saying that the ongoing peace talks has been going on in the right direction until last year. Only this year, he had started blaming the GoI. Similarly, CLP member H Chuba Chang regretted that the state government had not backed up the public who tried to chase out the UG cadres from the public inhabited areas when an IRB jawan was killed in Dimapur recently. Perhaps, this has encouraged the UG cadres to open fire in public places now, he said while referring to today’s clash in Dimapur.

(MExN)