NCSU to wait for govt response, defers agitation to September 20
Eric Miachieo
Kohima | September 18
A major confrontation between the state’s police and law-enforcing agencies and the agitating contractors and suppliers was averted here today after apex civil societies including the Naga Hoho, the Naga Students’ Federation and the Naga Mothers’ Association intervened and appealed to the agitating contractors to stall the launch of their proposed third phase of agitation till Thursday in public interest. Following the intervention and assurance from Naga civil society groups the NCSU third phase of agitation has been deferred to September 20.
Earlier, as the deadline of 10 a.m. this morning set by the agitating contractors approached, riot police armed with tear gas and lathis and firemen took up positions and even put up spikes at strategic points to foil the contractors’ plans to proceed en masse towards the State Secretariat and set up blockades and a confrontation seemed imminent.
However, barely half-an-hour before the deadline expired the civil society leaders arrived at the NCSU office where the contractors from all the eleven districts of the state gathered and held lengthy discussions wherein they managed to convince the agitators to defer their proposed agitation till Thursday.
As the deadline expired and the meeting between the NCSU officials and the leaders of civil societies went well past noon, tempers frayed as the delegation members from the districts insisted that the meeting should end and that they go ahead with the proposed agitation.
It was only hours later after the civil societies made fervent appeals to the NCSU to wait at least for another couple of days and assured to take up the matter with the state government that the NCSU relented and agreed to wait till tomorrow. The NCSU has, however, made it clear that it would definitely go ahead with its agitation if it fails to get a response from the state government on the issue.
Briefing newsmen after the meeting with the civil societies, NCSU officials said the agitating contractors from all the eleven districts were all prepared to go ahead with its prepared 3rd phase of agitation whatever the consequences to express its resentment and frustration over the state government’s non-response to its genuine demands.
However, the NCSU chose to heed the appeals of the NGOs and civil societies to defer the proposed agitation at least till Thursday after the latter assured to take up the matter with the state government.
According to the NCSU officials, the NGO leaders had initially asked for another three days’ deferment but accepted the NCSU demand to wait till tomorrow evening. They expressed confidence that the state
government will at least listen to the voice of the apex Naga civil societies and is confident of a solution.
The press briefing was addressed by President Pele Khezhie, Vice President Tseibu Khesoh, General Secretary John Kath and Secretary Imsunok Jamir.
Meanwhile, the NCSU officials have also expressed outright resentment over the setting up of barricades and blockades by riot police at strategic locations of the state capital. “We are not criminals for the security forces, the state’s police and law-enforcing authorities to take such a confrontational step”, one of the officials said.
Declaring that the NCSU would go ahead with its third phase of agitation in the event the state government fails to come up with a response by tomorrow night, the officials announced that it would go ahead with its third phase of agitation and cautioned that the NCSU should not be held responsible for whatever action it initiates to seek justice.
The contractors are demanding payment of pending bills amounting to over Rs. 35 crore under the PWD. It may be mentioned here that the agitation launched by the contractors under the aegis of the Nagaland Contractors and Suppliers’ Union entered its 38th day today.
