Our Correspondent
Kohima | August 24
The Nagaland Contractors & Suppliers Union (NCSU) today decided to launch its second phase of agitation, scheduled for August 28, will be in the form of a vehicle rally, according to NCSU.
The decision was taken during a joint meeting of the NCSU officials, action committee members and representatives from all the districts in Kohima today. NCSU members will gather at the Old MLA Hostel junction at 9: 00 AM and then will undertake the rally across the State’s capital and later proceed to the Raj Bhavan to submit a representation to the Governor of Nagaland.
NCSU president Pele Khezhie told media persons that the NCSU has decided to go for its second phase of agitations as the government has not yet responded to the union’s demand that the government-constituted SIT be withdrawn and that the pending dues to the union must be released.
It is learnt that the NCSU representatives met PWD (R&B) Minister G Kaito Aye and the Commissioner & Secretary on Wednesday.
The minister gave verbal assurance to take up their demand with the state chief minister and then the Cabinet but refused to give the same assurance in written, Khezhie said.
Stating that once under the NCSU it had nothing to do with any political party or government and its members are from different political parties and also holding various responsible posts in different political parties, he said “We’re not demanding for any political party or organization but out long pending hard earn money.”
He said the Union has been fighting for release of the long pending dues to its members for years and the government. Even during the Congress rule in the state, the union had fight with the Congress government and got released its pending dues. Again the union had been fighting for the release of its pending bills with the present DAN government which had given assurances after another since 2010 but failed so far to fulfil its assurances, Khezhie. So far, several political parties, apex tribal bodies and organizations had expressed its solidarity and support to the genuine demand of the NCSU, he claimed further.
The NCSU which is strongly opposed to the state cabinet decision to constitute a special investigation team (SIT) to verify the various pending bills towards the Union members in the PWD (R&) department before the earmarked Rs.35.83 crore of pending bills is release. Earlier, the Union demanded the withdrawal of the same SIT and release its long pending dues and serve 20 days ultimatum to the state cabinet. On the expiry of its ultimatum, the NCSU launched Poster and Banner campaign as part of its first phase agitation on August 10 last.
