Dimapur, August 18 (MExN): The Naga Council of Dimapur held a “public” meeting on the issue of the controversial “Naga commission” at Lotha Hoho Ki in Dimapur today, attended by about 118 persons. The council claimed that the “Naga commission is not illegal” and “it is inherited from 1949 and the council has been helping society, the downtrodden, government, and those in conflict.”
Introducing the agenda, Savi Liegise, president of Naga Council stated that the main purpose was to discuss and to finalize the plans to pursue the “Naga commission” kept in abeyance by the government.
It was informed that on July 29, the ADC of Dimapur had convened a joint meeting with Naga Council, DMC, Dimapur Chamber of Commerce, Police personnel, DNSU, Women Hoho and tribal heads in the DC Conference Hall. The agenda of the meet was to ‘resolve on the issue of objection to Naga commission.’ After two hours of deliberation, ‘all parties present’ unanimously agreed that Naga Council will continue its Naga commission with restricted items to be monitored by the district administration. Liegise said that on the night of July 29, another meeting was ‘purportedly’ held by the government under the aegis of the Home Minister to overrule the so-called ‘amicable settlement’ in Dimapur and had sent a fax late in the evening. It had stated that ‘the permit should be kept in abeyance in spite of the settlement arrived at, already’.
“The sudden concern or enthusiasm to cancel Naga Council’s ‘permit’ by government since over 30 years ago while ignoring the numerous other illegal collections by unauthorized ‘unions’ for many years has seriously undermined the confidence of pubic over government’s good intention,” claimed a sentence from a booklet stating brief facts on Naga Council and the “Naga commission” published by the Naga Council.
It also claimed that the “Naga commission is not illegal” and “it is inherited from 1949 and the council has been helping society, the downtrodden, government, and those in conflict.” The time has come for government to legislate certain changes, asserted Savi. A press note from the NGO stated that a number of resolutions were adopted.
The resolution claimed that the NGO’s “traditional Naga commission” “symbolize and signify the Naga identity and traditional practice of ownership levied on items granted by district authorities since inception” and that it would continue.
The council resolved to stand by the July 29th joint meeting “amicably settled” decision on the NGO’s ‘tax.’ The council also agreed to await 10 days to facilitate the government ‘to revoke the said abeyance order.’ In the event the government delays or fails to revoke the abeyance order by August 29, 2010 the council would go on phases-wise stir. The chief minister’s invitation for meeting with him was also accepted by the council.
