Dimapur, December 20 (MExN): The Confederation of Nagaland Chamber of Commerce & Industry (CNCCI) has issued a statement on Saturday, condemning the alleged kidnapping of six Naga individuals and questioning the roles of the State Police and Government in the face of actions by ‘armed groups.’
The incident in question occurred on December 15 at Ayoyimkum village. The CNCCI Media Affair stated that during the alleged kidnapping, firearms “procured using Naga public money were used and fired in a civilian populated area.” It emphasised that these weapons were “meant to protect the Nagas,” yet were deployed over “mere accusations of operating a so-called fake call centre.”
The business body question what is “anti-national” about Naga citizens engaging in business activities. It asserted that if any illegality is suspected, “the concerned Naga Political Group (NPG) ought to have reported the matter to the competent statutory authorities of the State Government for proper investigation and prosecution.”
“Matters involving crime or alleged illegal activities must be reported to and dealt with strictly by lawful authorities and not by armed groups operating for Naga Nationhood,” the CNCCI stated.
The CNCCI raised concerns about Nagaland police functioning, asking if the force is “discharging its constitutional responsibilities or abdicating them in favour of Naga Political Groups.” It called for “serious introspection,” urging a shift in focus from routine vehicle checks, which it said cause public harassment and are seen as “money collection” to addressing “serious crimes and unlawful activities that threaten public safety and the rule of law.”
The chamber clarified that the Naga public never mandated “the existence of more than thirty factions, nor have Nagas authorised any group to engage in moral policing or parallel policing.” It stated the mandate given was “solely to struggle on behalf of the Naga people against colonial rule and not to inflict fear, pain, and injustice upon their own people.”
Rebuking the state administration, the CNCCI questioned if the Government was waiting for NPGs to “‘hit a century’ at the cost of continued public suffering” and whether it was “taking advantage of the existence of multiple factions for its own convenience.” It challenged the State Government to transparently inform the public of concrete steps taken to unite various groups and lessen the burden on common people.
Reminding the authorities of the state’s political fabric, the CNCCI said, “Nagaland is an electoral democracy, not a kingdom, fiefdom or totalitarian state and the state Government is duty-bound to respond, act, and remain accountable to the electorate.”
The CNCCI demanded an “immediate, swift, and thorough investigation” into the Ayoyimkum incident and called for all perpetrators to be “booked without fear or favour, irrespective of who is involved.”
“Kidnapping one’s own people whom they claim to represent and fight for is an act that is profoundly anti-Naga and cannot, under any circumstances, be tolerated,” it asserted.
