NSF ‘exempts’ finance setcretary pending probe
Correspondent
KOHIMA, JUL 3 (NPN): The Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) on Friday clarified its position on the June 30 incident that has drawn widespread public attention, asserting that the Federation neither endorsed nor condoned any act of vandalism, intimidation or violence, while maintaining that allegations linking the organisation to extortion had already been clarified by the concerned stakeholders.
Addressing the media at NSF office here, NSF president Mteisuding Heraang described the incident as “really unfortunate” and said the Federation was “immensely disturbed” by what had transpired over the past few days. He said the subsequent developments and narratives circulating on section of the media and social media platforms had further complicated the matter.
Mteisuding questioned what he described as the deliberate propagation of false narratives by certain vested individuals. He said the Federation wanted the public to clearly understand its stand on the matter. Pointing out that both the owner of Prysm and the president of the Dimapur Restaurant Union Tito Yepthomi had already issued clarifications, Mteisuding said certain media outlets nevertheless continued to raise questions suggesting the Federation’s involvement, which he termed unacceptable.
He appealed to the media and the public to refrain from making allegations against the NSF until all facts had been properly established.
He also said that the federation “exempted” its finance secretary, Katho P Awomi, of all responsibilities and assignments pending the outcome of an inquiry into allegations against him.
“Till facts of the matter are ascertained, NSF has exempted its finance secretary from all responsibilities and assignments,” he stated.
He said the decision was an interim measure pending a thorough examination of the facts and urged the public not to turn the issue into propaganda or create false narratives, but to patiently await the outcome of the Federation’s inquiry.
Responding to questions on whether the Federation would have reacted differently had the incident involved an ordinary citizen, Mteisuding said the NSF could not speculate on public opinion. He maintained that whether the events took place inside the establishment or on the roadside, the facts first needed to be properly ascertained before any definitive conclusion could be placed in the public domain.
On whether the NSF was aware that financial assistance had allegedly been sought from members of the DRU, Mteisuding reiterated that the restaurant owners themselves had already clarified the matter. He said the Federation did not consider it necessary to issue any further clarification since the union president had already explained the circumstances surrounding the issue.
NSF vice president Vimeyiekho Vitso said the clarification issued by DRU made it clear that seeking financial assistance had never been an initiative of the NSF. He said the earlier communication mentioning financial assistance for NSF had created confusion, but the subsequent clarification issued by the restaurant union had addressed the matter. He urged the public to focus on the clarification rather than the earlier letter, which he said had been misinterpreted.
On possible disciplinary action against the finance secretary, Vitso said the federation had already exempted him from all responsibilities pending completion of the inquiry. He maintained that the NSF was not treating the matter differently simply because one of its office-bearers was involved and that the Federation would apply the same standards whether the person concerned was an NSF member or an ordinary citizen. He said the Federation would firmly stand by what was right.
Asked whether the incident reflected a broader culture of misuse of influence within the organisation, Vitso said NSF functioned according to its guiding principles.
While acknowledging that isolated incidents could occur in any organisation, he said the focus should remain on the larger responsibilities of the NSF, particularly issues concerning students and the public. He assured that the Federation remained vigilant and would continue to monitor the matter closely.
Responding to concerns that some students believed the NSF had failed to uphold the values it expected of others, Mteisuding said the Federation had never shied away from addressing issues affecting students and the youth. He assured the student community that NSF would continue to carry forward their aspirations and uphold its responsibilities.
Later, in a joint statement issued by NSF president Mteisuding and general secretary Kenilo Kent, the Federation reiterated that it neither endorsed nor condoned vandalism, intimidation, violence or any conduct inconsistent with the principles and values of the organisation.
NSF maintained that allegations that it had extorted money had already been clarified by the president of DRU and the owner of Prysm, both of whom had categorically stated that the NSF neither demanded nor solicited financial assistance and that any proposed contribution had been voluntarily discussed among restaurant owners themselves.
According to the Federation, the real issue under consideration was the sequence of events that culminated in the confrontation captured on CCTV footage. It maintained that it would be improper and prejudicial to arrive at conclusions based solely on selective information or public speculation while investigations were underway.
NSF said it would objectively examine every relevant aspect of the incident, including the sequence of events, the conduct of all parties, the circumstances leading to the confrontation and the veracity of all allegations before initiating any action. It stressed that any decision would be based on established facts through due process rather than trial by media or public conjecture.
It further argued that the larger issue deserving public attention was the continued operation of establishments allegedly functioning in violation of the Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition (NLTP) Act. It said public discourse should not be diverted by allegations that had already been clarified, but should instead focus on enforcement of the law and the accountability of authorities responsible for implementing the NLTP Act.
It called upon the competent civil and law enforcement authorities to explain the measures taken to ensure effective implementation of the Act and to address reported violations, maintaining that this remained the broader issue of public interest while investigations into the recent incident proceeded independently.
NSF also stated that throughout its history, the organisation had been sustained through the goodwill and voluntary support of well-wishers, former leaders, concerned individuals and organisations, and had never adopted a policy of extortion, coercion or forcibly demanding financial contributions from any person or establishment.
It invited anyone possessing credible evidence that the NSF’s name had been misused for extortion, coercion or unlawful financial demands to formally submit such evidence to the Federation, assuring that appropriate action would be taken without fear or favour.
The Federation further stated that it was conscious of attempts by certain elements to weaken its credibility by associating its name with every controversy without regard to facts. As one of the oldest Naga organisations, it said it would continue to function with transparency, institutional responsibility and adherence to due process rather than speculation or emotional reactions.
Appealing to media organisations, civil society and the general public, the NSF urged all sections to allow complete verification of facts and refrain from disseminating unverified or selective narratives that could prejudice ongoing investigations or unfairly damage the reputation of any institution or individual.