Cabinet meets today to decide ATAN fate
Morung Express News
Dimapur | April 23
Ten aggrieved teachers were admitted to Dimapur District Hospital today, April 23. Completing sixth day of its indefinite hunger strike, the Aggrieved Teachers’ Association Nagaland (ATAN) are still not willing to give up unless their demands are fulfilled.
However, according to some sources, a cabinet meeting will be held tomorrow, April 24 at 11:30 am, on which fate of the aggrieved teachers depend. Some members said they are hoping for a positive outcome but if at all the cabinet decision is not in favour of them, they would continue with their agitation.
Also, ATAN member, one Akali, who was undergoing medical treatment at Zion Hospital Research Centre in Dimapur has left the hospital, but without the doctor’s consent and is again participating at the hunger strike.
An executive member informed that in the morning, MLA Hewoto Awomi and Ex MLA Hokavi Zhimo visited the ATAN agitation site i.e. Dimapur District Education Officer’s office premises.
MLA Hewoto told to the agitators that he has come to them as an individual on humanitarian grounds and not as an MLA or representing any political party. He said if DAN government is people’s government then it should not remain silent on this burning issue. Stating that those known as “bogus teachers” now did not create the appointment letters themselves but were given to them duly signed by officers. Therefore action should be initiated to those erring officers, who are the “root-cause of the whole issue”, adding that the teachers were made “the scapegoat for no fault of theirs”.
Expressing his concern, Hewoto said the government should be held solely responsible for any unwanted situation arising out of this hunger strike. Also he urged all likeminded leaders and public to support the aggrieved teachers in their fight for justice, he encouraged the members to be strong the determined in their quest and encouraged them to remain firm in unity to ascertain their right.
Also, the Naga Mothers’ Association (NMA) has called on the Minister for School Education, Neiwang Konyak and expressed their serious concerns on the ongoing indefinite hunger strike by ATAN at Dimapur. The NMA has demanded that the long pending issue of ATAN must be resolved in the Cabinet meeting slated for April 24.
It has raised questions on the “unresolved action on erring officials and bogus teachers”. The mothers have also appealed to the minister to visit the ATAN hunger strikers at Dimapur to show his “genuine concern on humanitarian grounds”.
Also, NMA has called upon the Chief Secretary Lalthara, who is also the Cabinet Secretary to take the ATAN issue as one of the agendas in the Cabinet meeting.
Meanwhile, Nagaland BJP State Unit, Core Committee DNSU and many prayer groups from different churches have visited the ATAN members. The BJP workers have assured ATAN that they will appeal the government to immediately solve the issue as it has endangered thousands.
