‘Eastern Nagaland should get rid of the backward tag’

Tuensang, November 7 (MExN): The Lok Sabha MP C M Chang while addressing the 19th General Session of Chang Officers’ Association today at the Jubilee Memorial hall, Tuensang insisted that the people from eastern Nagaland should get rid of the “backward tag” as it is “derogatory and insulting”.
Besides the 25 % reservation in all government jobs, he affirmed that the eastern Nagas should venture out and “compete to be a part of the mainstream”, stated a press note issued by the press secretary to the MP.
The note stated that the MP lamented over the mushrooming of community wise Officers’ Associations and said that it has “created more conflict and confusion”. He cautioned that this negative trend should not be encouraged.
Meanwhile, the MP also extolled the Chief Minister for his efforts in bringing Nagas closer, saying that the “results are showing”. The note also claimed that when the MP along with the chief minister and senior cabinet minister went to meet the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh to “offer unconditional support” after Chang was elected to the parliament, the PM expressed his optimism that the “protracted Naga political issue” will be resolved during the tenure of the 15th Lok Sabha.
Talking about his past experiences as the president of erstwhile Tuensang and Mon Officers’ Association, he claimed that there was “more unity” amongst the members of the two districts working “under one umbrella”. He also added that addressing the officials have reminded him of his days as a government official serving in different capacities before being elected to the parliament. Exhorting the Chang officers, the MP maintained that officers are best equipped to educate the people and also ensure that conflicts between different sections of the society are avoided, it stated.
Moreover, the note also mentioned that the MP cited the Tobu conflicts in the early 90s, claiming that he was the one who took initiatives by convincing with the leaders of both the parties and that the situation was restored to normalcy.