Dimapur, March 23 (MExN): The Naga Students' Federation (NSF) fired salvo at Nagaland Minister and State BJP President Temjen Imna Along Longkumer over his recent comments pertaining to the Naga political issue in the Nagaland State Assembly.
In a press release on Wednesday, the NSF stated that the Minister’s “insinuation that certain Naga political groups are indulging in delaying tactics for their selfish gains only reflects the shallow understanding of the issue that is just, fair and righteous.”
Accusing Along of indulging in rhetoric that “pleases his political bosses at the centre,” the NSF claimed that the Minister has “forgotten the blood, sweat and tears of those who gave up their everything in order to usher in a solution that is inclusive, honourable and acceptable to every Naga individual.”
The NSF went on to state that the Minister’s “public advocacy for the Naga solution to be brought within the framework of the Indian Constitution undermines the founding principles of the Naga homeland and the same is not accepted by the Naga youth and students' community. More so, his conviction that separate flag and constitution shall not form a part of the 'solution' reeks of a conspiracy to deprive the Naga people our legitimate rights wherein he is an integral part of, if not the mastermind of the same.”
Condemning Along’s comments, the NSF lamented that the elected people's representative failed to truly comprehend the larger issue at hand and “chooses to be the shadow and the echo of the few names he threw around during his eloquently crafted speech at the state legislative assembly.”
“The Federation condemns his inability to assert the rights of the Naga people and for towing the lines of those truly responsible for the delay in honouring the ‘unique history and situation’ of the Naga people,” the release stated.
Further, the NSF cautioned the Minister against activating “his verbal diarrhea mode on issues wherein he has very little or no knowledge about.” Being a first time elected member of the state Legislative Assembly does not automatically qualify him to make sweeping statements on an issue that is more than a century old and involves the sacrifices of the entire Naga people, it said while demanding that he respect the sentiments of the Naga people.
