NPCC celebrated the extended 125th Birth Anniversary of Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru at Congress Bhavan, Kohima on April 15.
In a press statement, NPCC media cell said NPCC president, K. Therie who spoke on “Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru in the context of Nagaland”, recollected on how the leaders from Nagaland represented to the India Statutory Commission (Sir Simon Commission) camp at Kohima on January 10, 1929, and requested that the Nagas be exempted from reforms and new taxes proposed in British India and should be left alone to determine their own future.
He said when the delegate from Nagaland met Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru in 1946, they were diplomatically replied and urged to join the Union of India with Autonomous powers which the Naga leaders rejected.
“In 1959 when Nagaland Peoples Convention delegate met Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru, he patiently heard the delegates and agreed to the 16 Points with NPC. At that time Nagaland’s population was 3.6 lakh, according to the 1961 Census”, he said.
Therie further said that “It was on 1st August 1960 that Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru stood up and declared in the Lok Sabha that it had been decided to create a new 16th State within the Indian Union known as ‘Nagaland’. The State of Nagaland was thus formed on 1st December, 1963”, he said.
Appreciating Nehru’s farsighted vision, Therie said, “Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru’s vision on secularism was the protector of the NE and its multi-cultures, customs and social practices.” Therefore, Therie said it was appropriate for the Northeast to pay humble respects and honour to Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru as we owe him all that we have after India’s Independence.
Former president, I. Imkong who also addressed the gathering, narrated on the biography of Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, where from 1919 till World War II, he went through a difficult time and was jailed nine times.
He said that it was during this time, that Nehru penned the famed letters to his daughter Indira Gandhi which became the book “Glimpses of World History”. Imkong said that the book inspired him to work for the “Nagas as a Naga nationalist”. He also spoke on Pt. Nehru’s life in detail and summed up saying that it was Nehru who led India to what it is today and lauded his vision in adopting the 5-year planning system which has moulded the nation till Modi came to power.
Former NPCC president also lauded the Green Revolution and its impact in making India’s agro-centric economy into a strong world economy. “We remember his contributions in nurturing and making the nation industrially and economically a world power”, he said.
“He was the main person who along with his colleagues gave Nagas statehood through the 16th-Point Agreement. We join the nation in celebrating and paying tribute to the name, action and deeds of this great son of the nation”, Imkong said.
NPCC general secretary, Medokul Sophie, read out the resolutions to the house which were adopted. It was resolved to undertake tree plantation in school compounds over the state by all Congress Units- ACCC/DCC & PCC with name plates to honour and remember the great leader. NPCC has also appealed to the members to contribute Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru’s Portrait to be put up in schools.
The programme chaired by Working President, NPCC, Ayang Aonok began with an invocation by president, DCC Longleng, Shamngai.