Manipur Naga People’s Front (NPF) president Awangbou Newmai, while welcoming the announcement of the election dates by the Election Commission of India (ECI), said that he does not welcome the first phase poll date as it falls on a Sunday.
Sunday is a sacred day for the Christian community and it is a day of rest and worship for them, Awangbou said while addressing the media at his residence (quarter) at Lamphelpat in Imphal on Friday.
Newmai said that Manipur is a state where many different communities with different religions and beliefs are living together. India is a secular nation that treats every religion equally and violating one religious right is not the principle of secularism. ECI should treat the Christian's rights equally and therefore, the first phase of the poll should be rescheduled, he said.
NPF supports every religion for peace in the state as well as in the nation for development. And only peace can bring law and order situation in balance because of which developmental works can progress, he said.
He further informed that NPF, Manipur State Unit, has started working for the coming election by constituting an election committee. In the assembly election 2022, there will be 15 candidates in 15 assembly constituencies and more may be introduced, including sitting MLA from other parties. As of now, there is no decision of pre-poll alliance though the relation with BJP party is good, but there is no such thing as NPF cannot form an alliance with other parties, Newmai said.
Responding to a query from the media, Newmai said that more members may join the party, including sitting MLA and that the announcement will be there within four-five days.
Newmai further urged the Government of India and the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN) to respect and honour the ‘Framework Agreement’ and resolve it at the earliest.
Newmai said that NPF reaffirms the commitment that the Naga issue is resolved at the earliest on the lines of ‘Framework Agreement’ that was signed on August 3, 2015. “The solution sought for, based on the ‘Framework Agreement’ is not confined to a particular region or tribe, needless to say that the Naga people wish for a respectable and honourable solution,” he said.
NPF is the only political party of the Nagas across the border as a political umbrella to stand for the rights of the Nagas, minorities, and marginalised communities and for the peaceful co-existence of all the communities, he said. The party and its legislatures stand true to its objectives and principles. NPF legislature, on behalf of the party, resolved to protect the rights and interest of the Naga and other marginalised communities and should defend any move that may be infringed upon their rights by way of resolution or decisions henceforth, he added.
