Kohima, June 18 (MExN): The NNC/FGN (Zhopra) has raised "serious concern" over recent oil exploration and extraction initiatives while questioning whether the forthcoming Census exercise, confined to the State's present political boundaries, can accurately represent the Naga people as a whole.
At the same time, it called for honesty and accuracy in the enumeration process, cautioning against the manipulation of population figures for political and material gains.
In a statement issued by the Ministry of Rali Wali Affairs on June 18, the NNC/FGN argued that Nagas inhabit territories spread across present-day Nagaland, Manipur, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and parts of Myanmar, with the total population "estimated to be around four million."
The census exercise conducted within the present "Nagaland State" presents only "a fragment" of the Naga people, creating a "misleading impression" and a "false narrative" that they are incapable of existing as a distinct nation, it contended.
Accordingly, it cannot be accepted as an "accurate representation of the Naga nation as a whole," it asserted.
Despite such limitations, the organisation called for honesty and accuracy in the census process itself, cautioning against what it described as the manipulation of population figures for political and material gains.
Inflated demographic data had been used over the years to secure additional MLA seats, expand vote banks and obtain greater financial allocations, it alleged.
Such practices had undermined the credibility of census records and contributed to the "anomalous negative population growth" recorded in the 2011 Census, it added.
The NNC/FGN further contended that such practices stemmed from a political culture fostered by leaders of the Naga People's Convention (NPC), whom it accused of prioritising short-term political and material gains over the interests of future generations.
The pursuit of political influence and financial benefits through inflated figures had tarnished the image of the Naga people, rather than upholding the values of honesty and integrity for which they were once known, it claimed.
The statement also alleged that the practice had filtered down to the grassroots level, with some Village Development Boards (VDBs) and local institutions "reportedly" presenting inaccurate population figures in pursuit of increased funding, supplies and other benefits.
Such distortions, it said, compromise the integrity of the census process and weaken public trust in institutions.
While reiterating its position on census representation, the NNC/FGN stressed that "truthful conduct today" was essential and described the preservation of accurate demographic data as a moral responsibility owed to future generations.
Meanwhile, it also expressed serious concern over recent oil exploration and extraction initiatives promoted by the Governments of Nagaland and Assam. It claimed that such proposals appeared to be aimed less at public welfare and more at enriching "a select group of individuals and political interests."
Maintaining that natural resources are a "national inheritance" belonging to the Naga people as a whole, the NNC/FGN asserted that they should not become instruments for "personal enrichment, political patronage, or the accumulation of wealth by a privileged few."
It called for any discussion on resource utilisation to be guided by justice, accountability and the long-term interests of the Naga people.
The NNC/FGN also raised concerns over the observance of International Yoga Day, urging that any such programmes remain voluntary and sensitive to the religious convictions and cultural identity of the Naga people.
The honour, integrity, resources, rights and identity of the Naga people must never be sacrificed for temporary benefits, personal ambitions or political expediency, it added.
