Nagas take to agitating in Delhi

The Joint Naga Civil Societies, Delhi (CJNCSD) Friday organized a mass protest rally at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi to further intensify their protest against the arrest of the two United Naga Council (UNC) leaders and the unconstitutional formation of the new seven districts. Hundreds and thousands of Nagas thronged the streets of Jantar Mantar chanting "Nagas shall defend their land to the last man standing" and effigies of Ibobi and Gaikhangam were burnt down.

CJNCSD raises serious doubt on the political intention of the Government of India for its continued silence on the issue and questioned why the Government of India has not raised even a single question to the Government of Manipur for the imprisonment of the two UNC leaders and the unconstitutional formation of the new seven districts.

It slammed the Government of India for insidiously siding with the communally fascist and anti-Naga regime of Ibobi Government at the cost of the legitimate aspiration of the Nagas.

“The indifferent attitude of the Government of India towards the present crisis is tantamount to dishonouring of the August 3 Naga Framework Agreement. Is this how the Government of India wants to sell the Indian democracy and political institution to the Nagas?” questioned CJNCSD.

Nagas have been defending every inch of their ancestral land, liberty, identity and dignity with blood and tears since the mighty British times and dares the Government of Manipur to attempt to carve out even an inch of the Naga ancestral territory in the name of formation of new districts. CJNCSD reaffirms that the Naga issue is a political issue and vows to stand its ground with UNC till the unconditional release of the two incarcerated UNC leaders and rolling back of the proposed seven districts.

According to CJNCSD Chief Minister Ibobi has been targeting tribal lands through various unconstitutional legislative actions as the valley brothers cannot legally buy tribal lands. Ibobi has been playing politics with the life, soul, land, dignity, identity and culture of the hill tribals to cling on to power by exploiting the anti-tribal sentiment of the valley brothers as the valley brothers are socially patterned to perceive any anti-tribal policy as the interest of the valley.

It goes on to claim that UNC has been observing partial peaceful shutdown along the national highway which absolutely is a legal and democratic form of protest.

However, communal Ibobi and paid valley-based media ingeniously coined the term "economic blockade" to criminalise the Naga political issue and illegally arrested the President and the Information Secretary of UNC.

CJNCSD submitted a memorandum to PM Modi reiterating immediate nullification of the creation of the seven new districts; unconditional release of the two UNC leaders; acceptance of the August 3 Naga Framework Agreement and   finalization of the Framework Agreement; imposition of President’s Rule in the State of Manipur; CBI enquiry into the December 18, 2016 communal violence against the innocent Naga civilian passengers at Imphal and immediate compensation for the victims.