No iota of truth in NPCC chief’s allegations on Oting incident, says NDPP

In a lengthy statement, the NDPP said it was shocked and appalled by Therie’s series of outlandish accusations against the chief minister and the state government over the tragic incident in Oting village.
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DIMAPUR:

Ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP), on December 18, condemned the statement of Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) president, K Therie, blaming the Nagaland government and chief minister Neiphiu Rio for the December 4 Oting incident in Mon district, and said there is no iota of truth in his ‘wild allegations’.

In a lengthy statement, the NDPP said it was shocked and appalled by Therie’s series of outlandish accusations against the chief minister and the state government over the tragic incident in Oting village. They said his utterances against the state government and the chief minister deserve the highest level of condemnation and raises serious questions on his mental balance.

“His fabricated allegations against the chief minister are a reflection of his state of mind as it is unimaginable that a person, leave alone a leader, can make such claims,” the party said.

The NDPP, through the statement, said, Therie is making wild utterances from the comfort of his home with no sense of responsibility.

The statement also made a clarion call to all right-thinking citizens to condemn such statements filled with malafide intent to cause confusion and defame the government and the chief minister.

“At a time when the entire State is still mourning and coming to terms with the tragic and unimaginable loss of innocent young lives at Oting, which is unbecoming and an insult to the memories of those young men that Mr. K. Therie, or for that matter anyone to be trying to score brownie points over the tragic incident,” the party said.

The NDPP further alleged, “Perhaps his failure as a politician and the absolute irrelevance of his party have created high levels of frustrations which he is unable to handle, and therefore has no option but to come up with such wild allegations that have not a single iota of truth.”

The party said it is exceedingly outrageous to claim that the objective of the state government is to derail the peace process so that the chief minister can continue to fish in troubled waters.

“This claim is bereft of any truth, logic or sanity, and is alarming that a senior politician should be making such ridiculous claims,” the statement read.

The party sought to point out that the Paratroopers and the Army do not operate under the command of the state government and are under the direct control of the Defence Ministry. It said since the incident is a clear case of a special operation terribly botched up, a court of inquiry has been constituted and added that it is expected that the guilty will be brought to book.

The party also said accusing others of removing an incumbent Governor is nothing but an insult to the President of India.

The NDPP clarified that the present chief minister and his successive governments have always opposed the Armed Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA) and the declaration of Nagaland as a disturbed area all along. The state government has consistently recommended for removal of the disturbed area regime and non-implementation of AFSPA in any Naga area, it said.

The party said even in the aftermath of the Oting massacre, the state cabinet was quick to reiterate its opposition to AFSPA while condemning the inhuman crime. It also said the leadership of Rio has always stood up for resolution of the decades-old Indo-Naga political imbroglio from day one.

“He and his governments have made significant sacrifices and contributions towards the peace process and the achievement of many successful milestones in the negotiations as a facilitator,” it added.

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