In view of the adverse public reaction, the State government has clarified that the move to ask all its employees to furnish information of their family members and relatives in Naga political organisations was done at the direction of governor RN Ravi.
A DIPR statement read that Nagaland Governor’s office had on February 14 this year written to the chief secretary through its commissioner & secretary seeking a database of family members and relatives of State government employees in underground organisations.
The letter required every government employee to make a self-declaration in a format that was enclosed, besides directing staff of the police department to be segregated and furnished separately.
The letter further directed the home commissioner to keep hard copies of the declaration and send their soft copies to Raj Bhavan by April 2.
Following receipt of a reminder letter from the Governor’s office on June 24 by the chief secretary on June 24, the government decided to issue the office memorandum to this effect on July 7 after the State cabinet deliberated on the matter during its meeting on July 3.