DIMAPUR, OCTOBER 4 (MExN): Alluding to the business activities in the state, the major chunk of which is being controlled by non-Nagas, finance secretary of Naga Council, Dimapur Joel Nillo Kath said, “Our economy is not in our hands.”
He said Nagaland was rather a “nation of government servants” and that even the talk about Naga identity was becoming a faint voice as the society was now full of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants (IBI). Joel said there was around 6-7 lakh unaccounted IBIs thereby reducing Nagas to a minority in their own homeland. He lamented the corrupt activities of politicians, pathetic condition of roads, supply of electricity etc. He queried whether any politician has been convicted of corruption in Nagaland or that if the judiciary has hanged any criminal during the last 49 years. Stating that the judiciary should be active, Joel, however quickly added, he did not mean that every criminal must be hanged.
Addressing the 5th annual freshers meet of SETAM NU at IMC hall Thursday, Joel told the students to get rid of ‘herd mentality’ and mingle with cross sections of people making judicious use of the time in their hands. Expressing concern that SETAM was functioning in a rented site, he told the gathering that the Naga Council would fight to get a plot of land in Dimapur for SETAM. This statement drew a loud applause from the gathering. He urged the students to adapt themselves to the environment and situation around them and be focused on their goal.
Some of the highlights of the programme included, special numbers, presentation by freshers as part of Miss and Mr. Freshers’ contest etc.
