DIMAPUR, Aug 14 - The ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) on Wednesday said the Naga Hoho and the Naga Mothers Association (NMA) have missed the context in which Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio referred to the two organisations at the meeting of the Joint Legislators� Forum (JLF).
The JLF meeting, held at the Assembly Secretariat on August 7, was convened by Speaker Vikho Yhoshu.
The media and communication committee of the NDPP issued the statement after the Naga Hoho and the NMA said on August 11 that they have taken serious view of the Chief Minister�s �unpalatable statements� at the JLF meeting, denouncing the existence of the two organisations.
The NDPP said the two organisations have taken the Chief Minister�s statement out of context since nobody from these organisations was present at the meeting.
The party said that it is unfortunate that the two organisations have condemned the Chief Minister solely on the basis of hearsay and on the words of the people who had conveyed this to them.
It was perhaps with bad intention that the two organisations were misled into believing that the Chief Minister has no regard for them, the NDPP said.
It said that it would perhaps have been more prudent if the members of the two organisations had met the Chief Minister and discussed their concerns instead of bringing out a statement basing on facts that were not in the public domain and without ascertaining in what context those statements were made by him.
The ruling party clarified that Rio brought to the notice of the members that there was an urgent need to bring about unity, especially among apex bodies like the Naga Hoho and the NMA.
�It will, in fact, augur well for Naga society that in future, the apex organisations that represent the people should take up a more responsible and mature approach and meet across the table instead of issuing statements based on hearsay and assumptions,� the release said.
The NDPP appealed to all the apex tribal organisations and their leaders, including the Naga Hoho and the NMA, to take its plea for unity in the right spirit in the greater interest of the society.
The NDPP said at the meeting the Chief Minister highlighted many issues that were pertinent to the present situation in Nagaland vis-�-vis the Naga political issue and the ongoing negotiations for a final settlement and the role that the Government and the people need to play in order to facilitate an early solution.
He had brought to the attention of the members the urgent need to forge unity, especially among the apex bodies like the Naga Hoho and the NMA, the release said.
