Manipur News

Dear Sir,

The UNC after its Emergency Presidential Council on the 19th March, 2014, declared its stand to endorse the NPF candidate, Soso Lorho in the ensuing 16th Lok Sabha election. The Presidential Council decided to abide by the 15th December, 2012 resolution that “anyone opposing the registered position of the Council”, i.e., to support the Naga People`s Front (NPF) would be “termed anti-Naga”.  .

This question is made to UNC, `Is fighting election or supporting a candidate of his/her choice a crime?` Every citizen of India is empowered to exercise his/her adult franchise to freely vote without any intimidation. If UNC terms anyone who does not go by their decision as anti-Naga, would the many people who had gone opposed to the decision including the present council executives be also termed anti-Naga? In the 14th Lok Sabha election, 2004, the UNC had supported Mani Charenamei, the Independent candidate. Many came out violating the directives of UNC which was then led by the present UNC executives and NPF workers. The then convener of BJP, Shri Ashinpou Gangmei strongly alleged the Independent candidate who was supported by UNC of being used by NSCN (IM) as reported in The Sangai Express of 3rd May, 2004. Not going far back and recalling the recent incidents on ADC elections in 2010, where UNC declared Nagas to refrain from the elections but many Nagas went ahead and got elected and some, even uncontested. Would they also still be termed anti-Naga? And also looking back in to the MP elections in the past where UNC declared to boycott the elections which resulted only in providing a fine opportunity for Kim Gangte to come into power. Is UNC repeating another such give-away opportunity by unwisely proposing to increase the Naga candidates and divide the Naga votes?

At this crucial hour, the important question made hereby is “Has the UNC betrayed the trust of the Nagas by taking advantage of the fact that the public would unquestioningly move according to its directive and give unstinted support to the candidate endorsed by the Council?”

The matter for primary discretion here is, when Naga candidates with very good credentials and a huge support base had already filed their nominations, with what goodwill did UNC endorse then NPF candidate and term others who do not support their candidate as “anti-Naga”? The question is, `Is it appropriate for UNC with its responsibility as the representative of the Naga people to take up such a position?`

While taking up such decision, did the UNC ask the crucial question whether NPF would garner huge support from the Nagas and even if they did, would that be good enough to win the elections, or  would that only tear the our voting base apart. So the question that is needed to be asked here is whether UNC endorsed the NPF just for the sake of entering into a heated political contest or with the motive to win.

At this juncture, we must ask why the 19th March Presidential Council of UNC passed the motion in favor of endorsing the NPF, mainly based on minority votes of few UNC executives and a few tribe presidents against the majority decision not to endorse NPF considering the ground realities in Manipur.

And needless to say, many Naga public who would have actually loved to support NPF are also deterred by the choice of the candidate. Is UNC`s support to NPF just to tarnish the image of NPF or vice-versa? It is clear, that any wise and grounded decision for the choice of its candidate would be based on the qualities of competency, honesty and integrity? On what basis then, did UNC choose its candidate, as any voter is compelled to question the integrity of Soso Lorho, which was rightly referred to in the 25th March issue of The Sangai Express, by Nelson Vashum. If they could not fetch the right candidate and were wanting in intelligent judgment, why does UNC have to declare it mandatory for all Nagas to leave aside all support to other candidates and rally around the candidate of their choice? Does UNC expect the Naga people to dance around their tune? Isn`t it a blatant act to sell the sentiments of the Naga people, and misuse the cause of the “Naga issue” for any selfish interest? This question has become a hard puzzle for the thinking public. Is this just a reflection of corruption in the camp or is this some sort of game with some hidden agenda?

Is UNC being used by some miscreants internally or externally, to divide Naga votes against their favor? Is there any influence or link between some elements inside the UNC executive and political parties in taking up this decision? Have those in the UNC executive with strong links with political parties like BJP and NPF sold the rights of the Nagas???

Have the unsuspecting Naga people been duped by these people in the name of “Naga Issue”? If so, the credibility of the UNC is to be questioned?

The public must be aware of such facts and involve in working for the betterment of the society, and also prevent anyone from misusing the cause of the community in future.

Thank you.

Yours Sincerely

Kamei Nathan

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/04/the-credibility-of-the-united-naga-council-unc-endorsed-npf-in-the-ensuing-16th-lok-sabha-election/