Dimapur, August 14 (MExN): Although rest of the country will be celebrating the 66th Independence Day tomorrow however in Dimapur the celebration might not turn out that well. The Public Action Committee (PAC) in a bid to express its discontentment to the Chief Secretary’s statement has called upon the “Naga citizens” of Dimapur to abstain from participating at the Independence Day celebration, August 15 in Dimapur. “…meeting called upon all like-minded Naga citizens to abstain/boycott the said celebration in solidarity.”
This resolution was taken in an emergency meeting today, August 14 at Naga Council’s office in Dimapur, where public, Naga Council members as well as various NGOs’ leaders attended. Also, the mass Pledge Campaign has been officially deferred for two weeks and it was informed that it will be notified through print media. However, a prayer service was conducted after the meeting symbolizing the spirit of continuity of the campaign and “signifying the desire to save Naga Society”.
During the meet the president of Naga Council Savi Liegise said the campaign has nothing to do with the incidents at Kokrajhar, Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore and other parts of India. However, the campaign against illegal Bangladeshi immigrants (IBIs) in Nagaland was started in February 2012 after the ‘gang rape’ incident of a Naga woman by ‘illegal immigrants’. To which he said “let them come and earn” but involving in criminal activities cannot be ignored, adding that 90 % of the criminal activities are done by ‘illegal immigrants’. Some even raised their voice and said bootlegging, arms smuggling, illicit drugs smuggling, murder, kidnapping etc are all carried out by illegal immigrants.
On the issue, he also said that any individual, organization and even the government “abusing and misrepresenting the issue to malign Naga Council, PAC and civil society organisations” will be considered as “anti-Naga”.
Affirming the stand of Naga Council, PAC and NGOs involved in the campaign, Savi said: “…our campaign is a genuine endeavour initiated since February 2012 only to protect and preserve Naga culture and Identity which is at a critical juncture only to be repeatedly censured by the Government whose job was to embrace the serious issue in the first place.”
Elaborating more about the campaign, the “Pledge Campaign” of PAC under the aegis of Dimapur civil organizations are a peaceful social venture and it is signature endorsement by willing individuals to create “awareness” on not “to patronize IBIs due to their tell-tale and brazen illegal and anti-social activities which are subtle and systematic invasion into Naga moral, social fabric and economic life with intent to destroy the Naga society”.
