(From left) DNSU Assistant General Secretary Rukuwezo Wetsah, President Hinoto P Aomi, and General Secretary Michael Kath at the press conference in Dimapur on November 11.
Warns of rallying public support for agitation
Morung Express News
Dimapur | November 11
The Dimapur Naga Students’ Union (DNSU) warned of a public agitation if the Nagaland state government fails to act on the alleged fraudulent land transfers in Dimapur. The latest cautioning stems from what it termed as the continued inaction of the government despite evidence corroborating the allegations raised by the DNSU.
Earlier in June, this year, the DNSU made a controversial revelation against one businessman– Nirmal Jain, alleging Jain of fraudulently acquiring Indigenous Inhabitant Certificate and illicitly acquiring lands, in Dimapur, and selling it to non-indigenous residents.
“We have submitted all the required documents, the findings are already there on the table… why is still there a hesitation to speak or act on this regard.” DNSU General Secretary Michael Kath told a press conference in Dimapur on November 11.
He reminded that the Deputy Commissioner, Dimapur had constituted a fact-finding committee in response to the allegation, and the report of the committee submitted already to the Commissioner, Nagaland.
He informed that when they last approached the Chief Secretary and apprised him of the matter, the latter attributed the delay to the recent pen down strike by government employees.
Now that the strike has been called off, he said that it is time the government act transparently “by taking appropriate action based on the facts which is already available with them.”
The DNSU also revealed that it recently conducted an exercise in Dimapur during which it sealed one property, allegedly acquired fraudulently by non-indigenous residents of the state. According to its President Hinoto P Aomi, the property in question was a godown at Army Supply Road jointly by three non-Naga businessmen. He alleged that the plot of land on which the godown stands was procured through Nirmal Jain allegedly using fraudulent documents claiming indigenous inhabitant status.
The sealed godown was however opened by the police the same day, with Aomi accusing the state government of employing double standard norms when it comes to measures taken by civil society organisations. “We are not justifying what we have done (arbitrary sealing of the godown) but we had to take desperate measures. We were compelled to do it,” he said.
If the government continues to ignore and delay procedure to reclaim the alleged fraudulently acquired lands in Dimapur, he asserted that they would rally public support for starting an unyielding agitation. “We are going to organise a rally very soon if the government doesn't take any action,” he asserted.
Assistant General Secretary Rukuwezo Wetsah said that the state government should protect its land. As noted by the Chief Minister, he said that indigenous identity and land is non-transferable. But now the government is refusing to protect the inherent right over land of the Nagas, he added.
