Rengma Hoho will impose the proposed indefinite bandh from 6 a.m. on January 3 within its jurisdiction to press for upgrading Tseminyu sub-division as a full fledged district headquarter. Those exempt from the purview of the bandh include -district administration on duty, police personnel on duty, paramilitary, ambulance on duty, fire brigade on duty, press & media fraternity, wedding procession, funeral processions, Church organizations on convention and conferences.
Meanwhile, as endorsed by the Rengma Hoho and its frontal organisation, Rengma Selo Zi (RSZ) and Rengma Students’ Union (RSU) have decided to jointly enforce the indefinite bandh. The decision to this effect was made at an emergency meeting of the Rengma youth and students’ union on December 31.
RSZ in a statement through its president Kenneth Kath reminded the government that there it cannot cite any excuse and deny the legitimate rights of the Rengmas when several districts were created out of political necessity after Nagaland attained statehood in 1963.
RSZ reiterated that the demand of the Rengmas was genuine and deserving and needed no further justification.
It also maintained that the state government did not need any mechanism to measure and authenticate the demand since all other districts created in the past were based on priority and on political necessity. Therefore, as such the government should not hesitate to take the decision,” said RSZ.
RSZ also asked the state government “not to confuse the people by talking about criteria” since Tseminyu district fulfilled every criteria over and above what is required.
Both RSZ and RSU have demanded that Tseminyu be upgraded as district before the announcement of the state assembly election within days or else, the bandh will be extended even for months.
RSZ and RSU further warned that they may even ask its lone elected MLA to resign from the Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) “since the utter disrespect accorded to Rengmas whose contribution both before and after statehood is unparalleled is undigestible.”
Bandh info: RSZ and RSU informed that there would be three designated camps, during the bandh, supervised by nodal officers along with volunteers in all the camps.
Rengma Hoho office at Tseminyu town will be the control room under the supervision of the chief controller (RSZ president) and assisted by RSU officials.
The two bodies have also warned all business establishments/stockists not to create any unnecessary harassment by way of hiking the price of the commodities during the bandh. The public have been asked not to panic as the organizers have assured that there shall be no shortage of commodities.
ANTA travel advisory
In view of the proposed indefinite bandh on NH 2 called by Rengma Hoho from January 3, the All Nagaland Taxi Association (ANTA) Wokha unit has kept on hold the Wokha-Kohima taxi service.
However, Wokha-Dimapur taxi will be plying via Merapani-Assam route during the bandh, ANTA Wokha unit general secretary, Lipenthung Ovung informed.