DIMAPUR: If there is any place which is in urgent need of getting rid of corruption, it is indeed Nagaland. People of Nagaland must embrace the principles of justice against corruption promoted by Anna Hazare and his team.
This is what Savi Legiese, the president of Naga Council, Dimapur, told a mammoth gathering of people, who had come out in support of Anna by organizing a candlelight procession on Friday evening. Stating that hatred for corruption was universal, Savi said it has inflicted pain, misery and injustice on for years. Thousands of people from all walks of life organized a candlelight procession from Deluxe Point to City Tower junction under the aegis of Civil Societies of Dimapur in support of Anna Hazare and his team who are demanding a strong Jan Lokpal Bill.
The Naga Council president further said the moment of expression of solidarity with Anna and his noble crusade against corruption through a peaceful candlelight procession in Dimapur was most timely, relevant, historic and important for all. This would greatly benefit all those who are suffering because of corruption, he added.
The victory of Anna Hazare and his team in New Delhi would reverberate across the country, including the northeast, and would usher in hope and opportunity in all spheres of life, he said. Stating that the Jan Lokpal Bill drafted by Anna and his team empowers civil activists and the common man to investigate and prosecute people in power for corruption, Savi said the bill, when passed in Parliament, would change the history of India and even affect justice systems in the world.
"No doubt evil forces of corruption will tremble and fight against righteousness to neutralize the effects of Anna's movement. It is, however, in the best interest of the country if the government accedes to the noble desire of the people for the liberation of India in its second freedom movement started by the 74-year old modern Gandhi," he said.
R K Nair, the coordination committee president of civil society, Dimapur, told the gathering that they would submit a memorandum to the President through the office of the deputy commissioner in Dimapur. He read out the memorandum which stated that the entire system of the country has been paralyzed due to the loopholes in the style of governance and as a result the common people are the worst sufferers.
The peaceful agitation started by Anna Hazare has rocked the entire nation, even up to the remote places in the Northeast region, the memorandum stated and appealed to the President of India to intervene in this matter as the democratic rights of the Indians are scuttled by vested interest political parties by suppressing the right to expression on the pretext of preventive arrests as in the case of Hazare.
The memorandum stated that a strong Lokpal Bill was the need of the hour.