Our Correspondent
Kohima | August 22
Although the issue of affiliation of all private schools from four Naga districts of Manipur state to NBSE did surface in the 12th Nagaland Legislative Assembly session, which began today, both the ruling DAN government and Opposition Congress unanimously agreed to wait for the response of the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development before making any concrete decision on the issue.
Replying to starred questions raised by Congress MLA Taka Masa Ao on the issue, State Chief Minister and the Leader of the House Neiphiu Rio said that the government delegation would leave for Delhi after the assembly session to study the mind of the central leaders.
Rio said that the team would be led by him and would meet Prime Minister, Congress Chief Sonia Gandhi, MHRD Minister Arjun Singh and other key central leaders and press upon them to expedite the affiliation process at the earliest, so that the career of the students are not hampered. “We are going to express our actual position to them on the issue and then we will come and discuss how to go about it”, Rio told the Opposition members during question hour.
Rio also made it clear on the floor of the house that there is documentary evidence to proof that the Meiteis are imposing their script on the Naga students in Manipur which is totally unacceptable to the Nagas.
Rio said on the floor of the house that state government would know how to go about only after meeting the central leaders. State Minister for School Education Imkong L Imkong also reiterated that Nagaland Government has no objection to the proposal for affiliation to NBSE if the Centre permits. He also said that decision of the state government was communicated to the MHRD and the latter is examining the issue.
Contesting Rio allegations that the NPCC and CLP were trading contradictory statements on the affiliation issue, Leader of Opposition I. Imkong said that there is no difference between the two bodies of the Congress, however, stated that the NPCC asserting that the DAN government should go slow on the issue is only reminding the latter to be more responsible as the issue involves many complications. Imkong had earlier said that the Congress would support the issue if it was discussed in the Assembly.
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