The Naga Club submitted the first ever Naga written representation signed by 20 members to Simon Commission on 10.1.1929 for Naga political aspiration. The signatories belonged to few Naga tribes confined to erstwhile Naga Hills under British administration.
Nevertheless, what the Naga Club members did some 100 years ago was for all the Nagas wherever they are. Hypothetically speaking, if anyone thinks that Naga Club belongs to few of those signatories, or if at all, the descendants of the signatories tend to claim the ownership of its landmark achievement or any of its durable assets, if any; it will definitely reduce the Club to a private affair and private property. In the event of such decimation, the epoch representation of 1929 will simply become irrelevant to Naga nationalism and its movement. Consequently, the Naga National history will then become much younger as it would stem from later date.
However, all through these years, no descendent or group of descendents of the signatories had ever attempted to claim the ownership of the Club or its properties as they placed common interest above personal agenda. The Naga Club and its achievements therefore belonged to Naga people as a whole. It is therefore the bounden duty of the present generation to keep the originality and sanctity of Naga Club and all its historical records safeguarded. Accordingly, the Naga Club headed by Mr. Krurovi Peseyie as Chairman and his colleagues have been struggling to preserve the records and simultaneously doing research to streamline its history based on truth.
Meanwhile, it came to the notice of Naga Club that one Kharingyo Shimrah by name from Tangkhul community published his story of how Naga Club at Kohima was formed as posted in the public domain on February 8, 2017. Quote. “...the British Govt. recruited a number of labourers....from Naga tribes. ...around 2000 thousand Nagas...from North East led by RS Ruichumhao were sent to France, ...These Nagas under RS Ruichumhao leadership ...formed the Naga Club in 1918.” Unquote.
This claim of Kharingyo Shimrah is a mere figment of his imagination. It is just shameless and daringly senseless attempt for nothing but to distort Naga history. Can such claim convince anyone that RS Ruichumhao commanded 2000 Nagas from Naga Hills as labor corps to Europe during World War 1? Had RS Ruichumhao been the leader, how could he not sign the representation to British Commission? To this Kharingyo Shimrah explained as we quote “No doubt he was one of the visionary leaders who contributed the ideas of forming Naga Club his name was excluded in the signing of memorandum with Simon Commission because his interest turned towards spreading Gospel in Nagalim.” Unquote. Naga politics, be it our history or our contemporary politics, it is not a joke. The way this individual Naga has tried to hijack the political pillar of National movement indeed undermines the sacrifices made by the pioneers of Naga political aspiration. What does he gain when the true story is destroyed? A Tangkhul Naga was not the signatory of the representation of 1929; this does not make that tribe less Naga and so forth with the rest. Not being part of the 1929 episode, one must never try to destroy the history which is the common property of all. Does Kharingyo believe that the representation to Simon Commission remains a roadblock to his personal agenda or his tribe’s agenda?
The Naga Club has unequivocally rejected the claim of Kharingyo Shimrah as it is found to be totally false and baseless. The Naga Club is here to protect and preserve its history under any circumstances. The Club appeals to one and all extend unconditional support to its endeavour. The Naga Club is also ringing the bell for the Nagas to be fully aware of such both obverse and reverse attempts to hoodwink the gullible people to self destruction.
1. Krurovi Peseyie Chairman 2. C.R. Lotha Secretary 3. Z. Lohe Convener, Research & Planning Committee
