Mokokchung, December 2 (MTNews): The Rising People’s Party (RPP) has on Friday pleaded with the Prime Minister of India for President’s Rule in the state of Nagaland. Highlighting the need for President’s Rule, the RPP claimed that the state has been witnessing systemic corruption, fiscal mismanagement, misgovernance and constitutional crisis among others.
In a letter addressed to the Prime Minister, the RPP said that the grassroots of Nagaland strongly support the “zero-tolerance approach” of the Modi government. “It is felt that you will take action on the subject matter in the interest of public good,” the RPP wrote.
Along with the letter to the Prime Minister, the RPP also enclosed a list of 3446 people from various parts of the state, and even beyond, a good many of them young people, who took part in the Change.Org online signature campaign for President’s Rule initiated by the RPP.
In the letter, the RPP highlighted the rationale behind the signature campaign as well as a number of pointers justifying the need for President’s Rule, notable among which were systemic corruption, Naga political solution and constitutional crisis.
Systemic Corruption
The RPP claimed that the state is witness to systemic corruption, fiscal mismanagement, fraudulent withdrawals, misgovernance, non-development, misuse of public funds, etc., as pointed out by the CAG reports and NITI Aayog indices.
RPP stated that Nagaland was the “worst performing state” under 6 parameters (poverty, health, affordable energy, sustainable cities, industries and infrastructure) as per SDGI index of NITI Aayog 2021 as well as the State Energy and Climate index (SECI) as per NITI Aayog 2022 where Nagaland ranked 33rd out of 35 states & UTs.
RPP also said that Nagaland ranks as the worst performing state under the National Health Index 2019-20 (NITI Aayog)
RPP also pointed out non-payment of salaries of 130,000 government employees, including teachers, police personnel, national mission employees, and 15,000 work-charge employees who haven’t been paid for the last two and half years.
It also mentioned fiscal irresponsibility as per the latest CAG Report including fraudulent withdrawals amounting to thousands of crores of rupees in almost all the government departments.
RPP also claimed that Nagaland is presently the only state in India without a medical college wherein the lone project implemented in the year 2014 is still incomplete after 9 long years.
It went on to say that Nagaland University is ranked as “the worst in the NE region” with scores in the 151-200 band under National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF).
It also said that the Nagaland High Court building remains incomplete even after 15 years with CBI and ED investigating the case and mentioned “breakdown of law and order situation with increase in extortions and entrenchment of syndicate system in the economy.”
Naga Political Solution
The RPP also stated that there is an ‘oppositionless’ UDA government in the state “supposedly” formed to bring about a solution to the Naga political problem and that all the members of the 13th Nagaland Legislative Assembly have expressed their desire to step down towards the fulfillment of this cherished goal. In this regard, RPP said the imposition of President’s Rule can facilitate a settlement.
Constitutional Crisis
The RPP said that the people of eastern Nagaland under the aegis of ENPO (Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation) have expressed the desire to have their own separate state, that is, “Frontier Nagaland.” It went on to say that the ENPO have also resolved that they will abstain from participation in the elections (for the 20 seats out of 60) to the 14th NLA slated for February 2023. “As such, a constitutional crisis looms large, which will only accentuate the issue once the ECI issues notification for the general assembly election,” RPP observed.
In order to resolve the impasse peacefully under the requisite constitutional provisions, the RPP requested the Prime Minister that President’s Rule be declared in the state without delay.
“Given the financial crisis and the constitutional impasse arising out of ENPO demand and the Naga issue, the Rising People’s Party once again pleads for President’s Rule in the state,” the letter read, appended by RPP president Joel Naga and vice president Vitho Zao.
