Kohima, April 15 (MExN): The Naga Rising (TNR) today asserted that the Nagas strong history of defending their “freedom and birthright as a people,” clearly expressed through the Naga Memorandum to the Simon Commission of 1929.
“Our elders’ foresight and vision in recognising the freedom and rights of the Naga people, while demonstrating the spirit of oneness, should continue to inspire us as a people during these challenging times,” it said.
Accordingly, during the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the TNR conveyed its stance that “freedom and democracy must be defended at all costs.”
While Nagaland is represented by only one Lok Sabha seat and its presence is very marginal in the Indian political system, it called for “guarding against ‘forces’ detrimental to these values and to our future.”
It also acknowledged what it termed as the “genuine fears and concerns raised by the Church” in Nagaland.
As India votes to elect the next government, the TNR supports the ideals and values on which the Republic of India was founded - time-honoured principle of ‘unity in diversity’, which in many ways reflects India’s approach to democracy, federalism (State’s rights), and religious freedom, it maintained.
No force should be allowed to subvert these ideals and the upcoming Lok Sabha election is a moment to send a strong message that we stand for freedom and democracy, it added.
