Kohima, November 29 (MExN): Against the backdrop of the Eastern Naga Students’ Federation (ENSF) demanding 45% reservation in the Nagaland Staff Selection Board (NSSB), the Angami Students Union (ASU) on Sunday voiced resentment against the same.
“…We the Angami Students’ Union is totally against the ENSF’s demand of 45% which is observed as totally unreasonable, unfair, selfish and arrogant. It is entirely and absolutely unacceptable,” the ASU stated in a press release appended by its President Vizokho Zashümo and General Secretary Petekhrietuo Kiewhuo.
Terming the ENSF’s demand a ‘detrimental factor’, the ASU stated that it “cannot be allowed to be implemented.”
It added that such ‘destructive policy’ would destroy the society.
Expressing strong resentment, the ASU added that it would resort to ‘every possible democratic action’ against the implementation of the ENSF’s demand by the government.
Earlier, the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) on Saturday had also opposed the ENSF’s demand for 45% reservation in the NSSB, calling it ‘exorbitant’ and adding that the very purpose of setting up NSSB in the State was to discourage backdoor appointments and encourage meritocracy. The NSF had also said that a particular group or community resorting to unreasonable and exorbitant demands would defeat the purpose of a ‘cohesive united stand on equal footing in a harmonious society’.
It may be mentioned that the ENSF on Saturday had announced that it would go ahead with its indefinite agitation against the government from November 30. It also announced that it would boycott the Statehood Day, the Hornbill Festival and any other functions organized by the government under the Eastern Nagaland jurisdiction and Kohima.
As part of its agitation, the ENSF said it would as lock down government offices and restrict the movement of government-registered vehicles in the five eastern districts of the state from 6:00 am on Monday.
However, offices and movement of vehicles of the district administration, police, health, fire and emergency services and central agencies have been exempted from the purview of the strike.
ENSF had served a seven-day ultimatum to the state government on November 18 to fulfill its six charter of demand in regard to the Nagaland Staff Selection Board. The ultimatum expired on November 25.
