Mokokchung, March 23 (MTNews): The Konyak Union has in a statement issued on March 21 said that, with the Official notification issued by the State government in 2017 to conduct Urban Local Body (ULB) election in Nagaland with representation of 33% Women Reservation, the ULB election within Konyak jurisdiction was accordingly conducted in four ADC headquarters ofNaginimora, Tizit, Aboi and Tobu, except for Mon headquarter, “where the issue had nothing to do with Article 371A nor on inclusion of 33% women reservation in the ULB but it was solely confined to non-fulfilment of the agreement between the State Government and Chi-Mon land donor issue of 1964.”
The KU statement said State Government has to appreciate/acknowledge that Konyaks as a bono fide tribe had adhered to its directives dated 21st Dec 2017 while also saying that KU is ready to abide by 9th March 2022 declaration at Kohima on ULB election with 33% women reservation.
KU further said that the State Government must consider the plights of the Konyak Union who had stood firm and committed to the State Government’s Notification then and now, and placed three issues that “requires strict intervention from the State Government before declaring the forth coming ULB election in the State of Nagaland.”
The KU said that if the State government go ahead with 33% women reservation, then the uncounted vote box from 2017 ULB polls with 33% women reservation should be counted, emphasizing that no citizen must be crucified for being law abiding. If not, the State Government must be willing and be ready to compensate the expenses for those law abiding citizen/candidates that had contested in the then ULB election with 33% women reservation policy.
Secondly, mentioning that the 1964 agreement between the State government and Chi-Mon was the main reason for non-participation in the ULB election in Mon town, KU demanded that it should not be repeated during the forthcoming ULB election. It appealed to the government to immediately intervene in solving the long-pending agreement to pave the way for development and justice.
Thirdly, in accordance to the demand of ENPO, Konyak Union said that Mon town, a district headquarters with one of the most populated tribes and a fast-growing urban settlement in the State, must be elevated to the status of a municipality in order to facilitate development due to its remoteness and decades-old deprivation by subsequent State governments.
KU said that the plight of the candidate/s that adhered to the Government’s notification on the last ULB election and their demand for justice through appropriate legal proceedings is justifiable. “Therefore, the Konyak Union fully endorses in fighting for the rights of its citizens but such moves cannot be accounted nor termed as against the government,” KU said.
KU also expressed “shock” with the March 9 resolution. “Sadly, when two precious Naga youths had laid down their lives in their fight to safeguard article 371A (Naga identity & truth) today their sacrifices are silently engraved for good,” the union said. The tribal endorsement to the March 9 declaration and resolution only reflected the wavering attitude of the Nagas, it added.
“The Konyak Union is deeply saddened and pained but prays that the sacrifices of those precious souls are not being blown away in vain. The Konyak Union office as a matured institution had remained calm amidst such political chaos and commotions and further advised all concerned to retrospect for tagging the ‘Konyaks’ as ‘anti-Naga’ but sadly those who opposed our stance are following the same today,” KU noted. “Today, the Nagas are all set to its own vomit,” KU observed.