In response to an appeal made by the deputy chief minister TR Zeliang to reconsider its decision to launch mass agitation, the Phek District Maytas-Gayatri Damaged Victim Association (PDMGDVA) on Wednesday announced that it has postponed the proposed mass protest from December 1 till December 7, 2023.
In a press release, PDMGDVA convener Pushovoyi Nyekha stated that the association at an emergency meeting on November 28 resolved to reciprocate the appeal made by the deputy chief minister and also by concerned authority and accordingly postponed the proposed mass protest.
PDMGDVA informed that the high court has listed for hearing on December 7 the State Govt’s non-compliance with the Contempt Order of October 3, 2023.
The association stated that the state government was at liberty to go back to the court and challenge any outside court imposition if so, or at least allow the release of time-bound damaged compensation to the poor victims and then negotiate at government -to-government level.
“Else repeatedly defying the Hon’ble Court’s Contempt Order may avoidably risk the concerned authority on one side and aggravate the anger of the more than 10 years aggrieved community beyond reasonable protest on other side,” PDMGDVA stated.
While it has postponed the agitation, the PDMGDVA, however, said that if the state government still failed to clear the pending matter within the deadline, the association “may be forced to go for intensive protest till payment is released.” The association also asserted that any further plea by authority for withdrawal of protest without payment “may not be reciprocated.”