In a letter submitted to Prime Minister, Narendra Modi on 02 December, the Rising People’s Party appealed for President’s Rule to be imposed in the state of Nagaland.
The party stated in the letter that “the grass-roots of Nagaland strongly support the zero-tolerance approach” of the central government and called for action on the subject matter “in the interest of public good”.
The RPP highlighted that 3446 people from across the state and beyond – many of whom were young people – took part in the Change.Org online signature campaign for President’s Rule initiated by the party.
As per the letter, the rationale behind the campaign was 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.”
As per these reports, the party called attention to the state being the “Worst Performing State under 6 parameters (poverty, health, affordable energy, sustainable cities, industries and infrastructure) as per SDGI index of NITI Aayog 2021.”
The state reportedly ranked as the “Worst Performing State as per State Energy and Climate index (SEC) as per NITI Aayog 2022. Nagaland ranks 33rd out of 35 states & UTs.”
The party in the letter stated that there was a “perpetual deficit state budget” latest being “minus 2212.74 Crore for the year 2022-23”. It further claimed that as per the latest CAG report “fraudulent withdrawals” amounting to “thousands of Crores in almost all the government departments” had been reported.
Referring to the current state of the Medical College, the party highlighted that Nagaland is the only state without a medical college. The project had been implemented in the year 2014 and remains incomplete after “9 long years”. The party also mentioned that the Nagaland High Court building remains incomplete even after 15 years with the CBI and ED investigating the case.
“Nagaland ranks as the Worst Performing State under the National Health Index 2019-20 (NITI Aayog),” the party stated.
With regards to Nagaland University, it claimed that the university is “ranked as the worst in the NE region with scores in the 151-200 band” under National Institutional Ranking framework (NIRF).
The party claimed that there has been a “breakdown of Law & Order situation with increase in extortions and entrenchment of syndicate system in the economy.”
The letter said the UDA government was “supposedly formed to bring about a ‘Naga Solution’” and that all the members of the 13th Nagaland Legislative Assembly have expressed their desire to step down for the “fulfillment of this cherished goal” and therefore, the RPP feels that the imposition of President’s Rule could facilitate Naga settlement.
Referring to the ENPO’s demand for separate statehood and their abstinence from participation in the upcoming general elections for 20 out of 60 seats, “a constitutional crisis looms large”, the letter claimed.
Given the “financial crisis” and the “constitutional impasse” arising out of the ENPO demand and the Naga issue, the party requested the prime minister for President’s Rule to be declared in the state without delay.
The letter was attached with the names of the 3446 people who participated in the signature campaign.
