CNCCI questions FRGN closure directive

DIMAPUR, OCT 25 (NPN): Confederation of Nagaland Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CNCCI) has expressed concern over a recent press release issued by the Federal Republic Government of Nagaland (FRGN), directing all shops across Nagaland to close on Sundays and calling on all non-Naga business establishments to shut down their operations altogether.
CNCCI stated that Christianity was brought to the Naga people through Americans; however, businesses also operate on Sundays in America and other Christian countries, depending on local laws and circumstances.
It said Nagaland must respect the sanctity of Sunday worship and remain mindful of church service hours, including those held on weekdays. At the same time, religious observance must be balanced with practical realities, and ensuring one day of rest each week for employees should not be confused with imposing a blanket ban on Sunday trading. Such decisions, it said, should be guided by genuine business considerations rather than emotional and moral policing.
CNCCI demanded that the State government publicly clarify who governs Nagaland—the elected State government or the FRGN.
It said if the directive had no lawful authority, the government must take stringent action in accordance with the law.
Stating that it had consistently championed Naga businesses and encouraged entrepreneurship among Naga youth under its guiding principle, “Naga First,” CNCCI said hundreds of non-Naga people had closed their businesses and shifted out. However, it maintained that supporting Naga entrepreneurs could not mean excluding other communities from lawful economic participation.
CNCCI said it would continue to stand firmly for Naga enterprise while opposing coercion, discrimination and any attempt to undermine the rights of legitimate businesses.
It said Naga entrepreneurs had expanded beyond Nagaland over the past decade, supplying goods and services across India and to international markets. Their achievements showed that economic progress came through enterprise, innovation and broader commercial engagement, not isolation.
CNCCI stated that such directives, even when presented as measures to protect Naga enterprise, would take Nagaland centuries backwards. It said no economy could function in isolation and cited China’s opening of its economy as an example of creating opportunities through economic growth.
In today’s interconnected global economy, it said, no state could thrive without investment, technology, expertise, services and access to wider markets. Directives forcing businesses to shut down on ethnic grounds could weaken investor confidence and create unnecessary communal tension, posing a serious setback to Nagaland’s economic aspirations.
CNCCI said putting Naga interests first meant empowering Naga entrepreneurs, not pushing Nagaland towards economic isolation or allowing ethnic discrimination to threaten its peace and prosperity.
It also reminded the FRGN that the Naga public had mandated the Naga national movement to pursue the Naga political issue and said it should remain focused on its core political objectives rather than diverting resources and energy into matters beyond its mandate.
CNCCI said the matter was serious and threatening and urged the State government to immediately investigate the “self-styled diktat” and initiate swift action against those responsible.
It also demanded a public assurance that the State government was in charge, along with clarification on the directive and action taken.
CNCCI further warned that, with the festive season underway, it did not wish to cause inconvenience to the public. However, it said that without immediate and prompt action, it would be forced to take its own course of action.