• Demands that Minister in-charge step down
• Questions silence of Chief Minister
Morung Express News
Dimapur | February 13
The Naga Tribal Union Chümoukedima Town (NTUCT) has deferred its decision to oppose/prevent the Nagaland Armed Police Training Centre and the Police Training School, Chümoukedima from training new police recruits totaling around 1200, scheduled to begin from February 14.
The deferment came after an internal memo dated February 2, 2020, which was issued by the Nagaland Police Headquarters (PHQ), Kohima surfaced on February 12. A copy of the “WT message,” which circulated on social media, directed the IGP (Training & Border) to withhold the conduct of training “till further orders.” “Incomplete arrangement of barracks and other training infrastructures” was cited as the reason for deferring the start of training.
NTUCT President Lhousito Khro said that it deferred its earlier call to oppose the conduct of training basing on the message as circulated. He however maintained that the state government has yet to officially respond to the union’s demand.
Further, there was no official intimation from the PHQ informing of the development. But official sources confirmed that the message was “official.” It was however maintained that unit Commandants and DEF chiefs came to know of the directive only February 12, while the message was purportedly issued on February 2. Efforts to contact the PHQ for comment were unsuccessful.
The NTUCT had questioned how nearly 1200 appointments were made while the number of candidates selected through “open recruitment” in 2019 was only 208. It stated that except 208 candidates, who were selected through an open recruitment, “no other candidates will be allowed to take part in the upcoming training.”
Meanwhile, the NTUCT issued a press release stating that the questions it has raised in connection to the appointment of around 1200 police recruits “should be brought to its legal and logical conclusion.” It further asked the “Minister in-charge to immediately step down on moral ground owning full responsibility.”
Stating that the decision was made at an emergency meeting convened at the CPO Hall, Chümoukedima on February 13, the NTUCT also questioned the silence of the Chief Minister on the issue. It added, “The Chief Minister being the leader of the house is also responsible for the mess prevailing in the government.”
It maintained that the NTUCT will continue to press the government “to cancel all the back door appointees at the earliest and call for a fresh open recruitment.”
Meanwhile, the Dimapur Naga Students' Union (DNSU) also questioned as to how “the extra posts were selected to undergo training.”
A press release from the DNSU media cell stated that “at a time where there are lack of job avenues and opportunities with thousands of educated Nagas being unemployed, such practice is totally untoward and DNSU will not remain a silent spectator.”
It asked the concerned department to clarify and also justify on the discrepancy.
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