ARTICLE 371A:The Governor said he could no longer abstain from constitutional obligations and proposed that under Article 371A (1) (b) of the Constitution
The Governor said he could no longer abstain from constitutional obligations and proposed that under Article 371A (1) (b) of the Constitution, important functions like “transfer and posting of officials” entrusted with maintenance of law and order of and above the district level will be with the approval of the Governor.
The BJP is a key coalition partner in the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party-led government in Nagaland.Mr. Ravi said the unrestrained daily depredations by over half a dozen organised and armed gangs, brazenly running their respective ‘so-called governments’, challenging the legitimacy of the government without any resistance from the State law and order machinery, has created a crisis of confidence in the system.
The letter highlighted that armed miscreants appoint their own dealers for every commodity from salt to construction material coming into the State and levy illegal taxes on every item. “Transporters have complained to me that there is over 200% cost escalation in transportation the moment a goods laden truck enters Nagaland due to gun point extortions by the armed miscreants,” the Governor said.
Funds siphoned off
The steady slide of Nagaland in various parameters such as road connectivity, health and education infrastructures can be attributed to “siphoning off a large chunk of government funds meant for development”, the Governor said.
Several national highways projects are stalled if 5-7% of the project cost is not given to armed gangs and there have been cases of kidnapping and assault on project engineers if there was a delay, the letter said.
“They have informed that how construction company officials are summoned to the Dimapur offices of the armed gangs for payments and negotiations… Sometimes these unlawful activities [take place] in the presence of senior officials of the State government including the Chief Secretary, Home Commissioner and the DGP (director general of police),” Mr. Ravi said.