Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) has condemned and described as “malicious exercise” the state government’s office memorandum dated July 7, 2020 directing all administrative heads and heads of departments to obtain information from all employees in a ‘self-declaration’ form, whether any of the employees have their family members and relatives in the underground organizations.
NSF president Ninoto Awomi and general secretary Liremo R Kikon denounced the usage of the term ‘undergrounds’ to refer to “Naga national workers” by the state government.
NSF reminded the state government that the “unique history and situation” of the Naga people have been officially recognised by the government of India after which a long drawn political negotiation ensued.
NSF said the state government resorting to profiling its employees “escapes all rationale”. The federation also asserted that as it represented the voice and aspiration of the Naga youth and students it “cannot allow for the same to happen under our watch.”
NSF alleged that “this the attempt by government of India reeks of influence from adversaries of the Naga people to sabotage the hard earned peace in Naga inhabited areas by holding the family members of our freedom fighters as hostage.”
The Naga student body cautioned that such an attempt would only prove counterproductive as the flame of the cause that was “just and fair” can never be put out from the hearts and minds of the Nagas.
NSF has, therefore, appealed to the state government to review its directive and ensure that the same was not implemented as it was against the interest of the Naga people who had voted them to power.
It instead urged the state government to focus on finding a permanent solution to the protracted “Indo-Naga” political issue by taking on board all the stakeholders.
In the light of the above, the NSF has cautioned that it would be compelled to take up all forms of democratic agitations should the state government decide against rescinding the “ill-conceived directive.”
Meanwhile, NSF said it has “taken a serious note of the unpopular approach” of Nagaland governor and Interlocutor for Naga peace talks, RN Ravi, while dealing with the Naga people in his dual role.
NSF appealed to the interlocutor’s office to delve seriously into the task assigned to him and ensure that a negotiated final settlement to the protracted Naga political issue was brought about without further delay. Further, NSF said the governor should extend his fullest support to the ongoing political dialogue by restraining himself from “passing the load of chaos and confusion” caused by the “failure to find permanent solution to the popularly elected government.”