NEW DELHI: The Center clamped Presidents Rule in Nagaland on Thursday night provoking a protest walkout by all the opposition parties in the Lok Sabha after nearly two hours of heated discussions on Friday.
Charging the government with “rape of the constitution” and “playing nefarious politics” the opposition expressed total dissatisfaction with the explanations offered by three ministers Arjun Singh M.M.Jacob and P.R. Kumaramangalam for the Centers sudden decision.
The Lok Sabha was first informed of the developments in Nagaland during Zero Hour by the Janata Dal member George Fernandes who strongly criticized the government for issuing the proclamation for Presidents Rule after Parliament closed for the day on Thursday. Parliament was not told nor was the newspapers he charged and demanded that Presidents Rule be revoked.
The Minister of State for Home M.M. Jacob refuted the opposition’s contention that Presidents Rule was imposed in Nagaland because the Center was “annoyed” with the Governor M.M. Thomas for dissolving the assembly without prior permission. The decision was taken after considering the reports of the Governor and the situation prevailing in the state he told the Lok Sabha in a statement.
He maintained that the rate of insurgency in the Northeast was “increasing day by day.” The Governor report was consider against this backdrop he asserted.
Article extracted from this publication >> April 17, 1992
