Rengma Hoho (RH), Rengma Selo Zi (RSZ) and Rengma Mothers’ Association (RMA) have condemned the action of Naga Club of vandalising the NSF office in the wee hours of May 27.
In a joint statement, RH president Pollem Tep, RSZ Kenneth Kath and RMA Sojule Tep said that the consultative meeting of the Rengma frontal organisations held on June 2 appreciated both Naga Students’ Federation and Naga Club office bearers of the past and present for their yeoman’s service for persevering the legacy of the club whom it described as the champion of Naga political movement through the years. However, they viewed that the good image of Naga Club had been tarnished by the incident, which it described as an unprecedented act that bewildered and astounded entire Naga populace. “…the club office bearers owning responsibility, has provoked incredulity from all level of our Naga society,” they said.
They said that the act had not only shattered the good image of Naga Club, but also had done an irreparable damage to the trust people reposed on the club.
They cited a Rengma tradition where it was a taboo to reuse a property once it was destroyed in anger. Unless there was an ulterior motive, they contended that one would never destroy his or her own property. Hence, they declared that, as per the Rengma tradition, the people who demolished the Naga Club building had committed a crime.
Whilst NSF had been safekeeping numerous official and historical documents of Nagas, the Regma bodies said anyone destroying those irreplaceable records that belonged to all Nagas was condemnable. Further, justifications and clarifications doing the rounds in public domain revealed that the demolition of the historic building was not in good motive. They asserted that the foundation of Naga polity laid down by Naga Club should not be pulled down by few people who did not adhere to the core principles of the yesteryears’ club.
In order to let goodwill prevail among Nagas, they declared that Rengma people would not be a party to the destruction of building and properties housed under it.
