NSF President Ninoto Awomi and ENSF President Sepili L Sangtam addressing the press conference in Kohima on October 11. (Morung photo)
Our Correspondent
Kohima | October 11
Dissatisfied with the action and reply of the state government over its ultimatum served to the government on SSA & RMSA teachers’ issue, the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) and Eastern Naga Students’ Federation (ENSF) today affirmed its decision to go ahead with indefinite agitation from October 12, effective from 6:00 am.
The NSF and ENSF at the joint meeting here today, has decided to go ahead with agitation after a thorough discussion on the letter received from the government and not finding the content of the letter ‘satisfactory’.
“We want a clear written assurance and that assurance should be clear time bound assurance,” said ENSF president Sepili L Sangtam while addressing a press conference here.
After the ultimatum, we have received appeal letter from the school education advisor and chief secretary to call off our agitation. We had studied the content of the appeal letter and we are not satisfied with the letter, said Sepili.
He said that the joint meeting of NSF and ENSF discussed the matter thoroughly and unanimously decided to go ahead with its agitation.
The agitation will be in the form of a state-wide ban on movement of government registered vehicles from October 12 onwards.
The ban on movement of government registered vehicles bearing NL-10 and NL-11 will be imposed till further notice from the Federations.
“However, vehicles on duty for medical services, administration, police, fire and emergency services will be exempted from the purview of the agitation,” it added.
NSF president Ninoto Awomi said that all the federating units and subordinate bodies of the NSF and ENSF have been directed to ensure that the agitation is strictly implemented.
“This agitation is going to be the first phase of agitation and until further notice from the 2 federations, it will go indefinite,” said Awomi.
The call for agitation comes after the lapse of the 30-day joint ultimatum that was submitted to the state government on September 2 with regard to mainstreaming of SSA & RMSA Teachers 2010 & 2013 batch into the state education cadre.
On October 2, the federations announced that it had unanimously resolved to call for a "democratic agitation" and expressed its "dissatisfaction at the inaction of the state government" pertaining to the response letter from the state government, dated September 23.
Sharing the response from the government during their meeting with Deputy Chief Minister Y Patton yesterday and Chief Secretary, Awomi said “They are saying that they are serious and they will resolve this issue at the earliest. But here, the bone of contention is that the agreement was signed on 12 June 2018. Around 2 and half years have lapsed. So until unless a time bound/ time frame is given to us, everyone of us is of the opinion that the government will take indefinite time.”
“Our agitation is democratic agitation. We have issued clear directive to all our federating units and subordinate bodies to agitate democratically. We have also directed them to maintain all the SOPs rules, “said Sepili.
On APO letter to NSF and ENSF, Awomi said they had written a letter to APO to review the letter and understand the position of the 2 federations and extend solidarity to them as “the issue is a genuine issue.”
Awomi advised the federating units and subordinate bodies to seize the car keys of any defaulter and “those seized vehicles will be released only after our demand is met.”
More join call for bandh called by NSF and ENSF
Meanwhile, the agitation received further support from various organizations and student unions on Sunday.
The Angami Students’ Union expressed solidarity with the NSF and ENSF and informed that the indefinite bandh on movement of government vehicles would be enforced in its jurisdiction with effect from October 12.
While acknowledging the concerns of the APO, the ASU assured that any activity related to COVID-19 or the Naga solution would not be hampered.
In Tuensang, the Confederation of Chang Students Union (CCSU), representatives of the Yimchunger Akherü Arihako (YAA) and the United Sangtam Students’ Conference (USSC) also resolved to support the proposed agitation.
In Noklak, the Khiamniungan Students Union (KSU) has resolved to impose the bandh in its jurisdiction with effect from October 12.
The Dimapur Naga Students Union (DNSU) has also decided to impose the bandh after its joint meeting with the Dimapur Eastern Naga Students Federation (ENSF) on Sunday.
The Lotha Students Union, Konyak Students Union, Phom Laivangh Pangthai,Pochury Students Union and Zeliangrong Students Union also announced their decision to support the enforcement of the bandh.
Along with the restriction of movement of all government registered vehicles, all the student unions have cautioned all concerned to comply with the order, failing which, the individuals/department concerned would be held solely responsible for any ‘untoward consequences’.
All the student units have exempted district administration, police, medical, fire and emergency services from the proposed bandh.
