Dear Citizens of Nagaland,
This is in reference to the recent statement issued by the Dimapur Naga Students’ Union (DNSU) in response to an article I authored concerning the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system in Dimapur.
At the outset, I would like to respectfully clarify that the views expressed in my article were made in my individual capacity as a National Coordinator in the Minority Department of the All India Congress Committee (AICC), Incharge of Manipur, and not as a representative of the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC). The NPCC was not involved in the article, nor were the views expressed in it endorsed by the state unit of the Indian National Congress.
My intention was not to provoke or mislead, but to highlight the genuine fears and concerns of long-settled minority communities in Dimapur, some of whom have been living here for generations — long before Nagaland attained statehood.
These communities are increasingly facing challenges in accessing basic rights such as land ownership, education, and welfare — challenges that need a compassionate, inclusive, and constitutional conversation, not confrontation.
I fully respect the identity, culture, and constitutional safeguards of the Naga people, including Article 371A and ILP. My intention was never to question the right of the indigenous Naga communities to protect their way of life.
However, as a national minority leader, it is my responsibility to also speak for the vulnerable, especially those who are voiceless and often forgotten in the policymaking process.
There may be differences in interpretation of Dimapur’s historical and administrative status, and I welcome a fact-based, respectful dialogue on that and Government of the day must clarify the concerns of long settled citizens who have sacrificed and given their lives for the development of Dimapur in particular.
But these must not become grounds to suppress the lived reality of thousands of fellow Indians, who are now increasingly made to feel like “outsiders” in their own birthplace.
I firmly believe that peaceful coexistence, mutual respect, and constitutional justice must remain our guiding principles.
I hope that my expression of concern will be seen in the light of democratic dialogue, not as a threat to unity.
Let us not allow differing perspectives to divide us — instead, let us work together to ensure that both indigenous rights and minority rights are protected in equal measure, as envisioned by the Constitution of India.
With due respect,
Rajesh Kumar Sethi
Friday, July 4, 2025