Dimapur, OCT 9 (MExN): The National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) has vehemently denied the purported demand for a loan to the tune of Rs 10 lakh made to NPF Minister Dr Shurhozelie and two other public figures going by the names of KC Angami and Pele Khezhie. V Horam, Deputy Home Kilonser of the outfit said, “I have received some reports that the demand note was written on plain paper and not on the official paper of the NSCN bearing our letter head.” He said that he had already given directives to the Central Administrative Officer, Angami region to apprehend the ‘real culprits.’ He displayed optimism that the culprits would be caught within a few days. “We know who are behind this,” he said. Horam further said, “Even a five year old will understand that the NSCN does not operate in such a manner. We employ a different approach while addressing ourselves.”
Strongly condemning the act, another top official in the Ministry of Information and Publicity of the outfit reacted, “Some persons with vested interests are engaging in foul play to tarnish the image of the NSCN. They are not authentic national workers.” The perpetrators of the act either want to get rich quick or have an intention to damage the outfit’s name, he said. “The culprits will be given befitting punishment,” he added. The NSCN has further questioned as to why the affair was brought to the attention of the media without first ascertaining if the demand note was genuine or not.
When contacted, Kohima Police said plainclothesmen had been designated in and around the Khedi Baptist Church as the ‘payment’ was supposed to have been made today. All three on whose names the extortion notice was served, have been provided with adequate security, according to Police. Investigations are going on, said a Police official.
In a separate press release issued by Akaho Assumi, Joint Secretary, MIP, GPRN an appeal to the Khedi Baptist Church to maintain code of moral responsibility in their role by maturely pursuing an inquiry through concerned higher authorities, as to authenticate the genuineness of the matter, and pursue consequent response rather than hasty media reprimands was made. Apparently peeved by the media coverage, the release further said, “The press fraternity should also be accountably careful as not to invite wrong divisive and defamatory reportage while highlighting and magnifying issues in their esteemed daily papers, as misguided or misinterpreted information could sometimes culminate into irreparable losses to all of us. In future, such issues should firstly be scrutinized and confirmed through the authorities in concern to avoid erroneous publications.”
Meanwhile, the political talks between the NSCN/GPRN and the Government of India scheduled to start this morning at Bangkok was postponed to the evening and a condolence ceremony was observed in respect of the Five (5) innocent Naga persons who were killed by the Meghalaya police on October 5 at Mawlyngad village in Meghalaya in what the NSCN has termed as a fake encounter.
