Nagaland: NPF suspends lone RS MP KG Kenye for favouring CAA

Kohima: The Naga People’s Front (NPF) — Nagaland’s main opposition party — on Wednesday suspended lone Rajya Sabha member from the state KG Kenye for voting in favour of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) in the Upper House of Parliament in December last year.

Kenye, along with Dr Lorho S Pfoze — Lok Sabha MP from Manipur — were served separate show-cause notices for ‘total defiance’ of the party’s ‘resolutions’ and further asked to submit reply by January 26.

A statement issued by NPF president Shürhozelie Liezietsu said that the disciplinary action committee (DAC) of the party at its meeting held on December 27 last year thoroughly examined Kenye’s reply to the show-cause notice dated December 26 and recommended to discuss the reply in a bigger forum within the party.

“In pursuance to the recommendation of the DAC, a consultative meeting comprising of COBs, NPF Legislature Wing, Frontal and Cell Heads, divisional presidents and special invitees was convened on 7/1/2020 at NPF Central Office Kohima,” the statement said.

The statement said that a special time slot was given to Kenye to present his point of view. “However, the House decided to stick to the CEC resolution dated 31/1/2019 to oppose the CAB/CAA” and that the house was not “convinced with the explanation” rendered by Kenye.

It said that the party arrived at a consensus opinion that Kenye had acted in contrary to the said resolution. “Hence, the matter was referred back to the DAC and the DAC, after proper application of mind, recommended Suspension of your Membership from the Party,” it added.

Liezietsu, through the statement, said that Kenye’s “intention and conduct in addressing a press conference after receiving the show-cause notice from the DAC is deplorable”.

It said that while Kenye may have his own personal reasons in voting in favour of CAB/CAA, for the party, “there is no change till date and the stand of the party remains the same to oppose CAB/CAA”. It clarified that Kenye’s conduct and action inside the Upper House of Parliament on this particular issue does not reflect and represent the stand of the NPF in any manner.

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The statement said that Kenye’s reply to the “show-cause notice is not only evasive but an attempt to dictate terms on the party by bringing your own interpretation on CAB/CAA and forcing the party to embrace it as the Party’s collective stand”.

It added that Kenye’s justification is “flimsy and irrelevant as mere reference of BEFR 1873 and ILP in the CAA 2019 neither become a law nor empower the state with Sweeping Powers”. It warned that the party had adopted a ‘political resolution’ and no party men or women can escape from it so long as the resolution stands.

It said: “Whereas, you have wilfully refused to be subjected to Party Discipline which every party official signed a pledge during the time of election to any capacity of Office Bearers as well as while receiving the ticket of the NPF to contest in any election including MP. This action and utterance from a high profile party functionary like you is unbecoming and a direct assault to the constitution of NPF.”

“Now, therefore, in pursuance to the recommendation of the DAC and in exercise of the power conferred on me as the President of the NPF by Clause 9 of Article-V read with Article XIV of the Constitution of the NPF, you are hereby suspended from both Primary and Active Membership of the NPF till further order. However, you will be bound by the Whip of the Naga People’s Front on the floor of the Upper House of Indian Parliament (Rajya Sabha) as per the existing law and judicial decisions of the Hon’ble Apex Court,” the statement said.

A copy of the suspension order was also sent to Nirvachan Sadan in New Delhi and chairman of Rajya Sabha.