Nagaland Governor PB Acharya joins celebration of Moatsü festival at Chungtia village
Morung Express News
Chungtia | May 3
Nagaland Governor PB Acharya said today that Nagaland was blessed with vast natural and mineral resources that can be tapped to make the state a progressive one at par with the rest of the country and that this can be achieved with a change in mindset of the people and by an “awakened student energy.”
The Governor, who joined in to celebrate Moatsü festival at Chungtia village under Mokokchung district, acknowledged that most people in the mainland was not aware of even the names of the North Eastern states and took a subtle jibe at the mainstream media and publishing houses for not being successful at bringing about “emotional integration.”
The Governor also mentioned that India was a democratic and secular country that respects diversity and that there should be no division and discrimination on grounds of religion. He called upon the people not to be divided along religious lines, making a historical reference to ancient and medieval “prosperous India” that the Mughals and later the British whom he called “invaders” took advantage of. He also added that India, along with China, has a “great future to lead the world” as 63% of India’s 125 crore population were “young.”
He observed that Nagas had changed and civilized a lot since independence and appreciated the Naga people for “coming forward” and declared that “no society has been empowered by education like Naga society.” On this note, he exhorted the students and universities to play the positive role for bringing about mindset change. He also called upon the Naga students to be job givers and not job seekers.
Saying that India belonged to the villagers, the Governor conveyed his best wishes to the program’s host village Chungtia for a prosperous future. He said that the exchange programme was a people to people program and that Chungtia programme was the first of its kind initiative of the Indian National Fellowship Centre. The Governor also planted a tree to mark his visit to the village.
Exchange of hearts, ideas and memories
Eleven-member teams from Mumbai University led by two of its faculty members are in Chungtia village for a seven-day students cultural exchange programme between Mumbai University and Nagaland which is an initiative of the Indian National Fellowship Centre.
As part of the exchange programme, the Chungtia Students’ Union organized the Moatsü festival today at Sabangya Play Ground where both the Chungtia students and the visiting Mumbai University students presented cultural and folk dances. Indigenous games, a mass Moatsü feast and demonstration of traditional art and craft were the other highlights of the day.
A number of national and foreign tourists along with the guests joined in to celebrate the festival with Governor of Nagaland, P.B. Acharya as special invitee.
Vinit Chitte, a faculty member from Mumbai University who teaches economics, thanked MU and the Indian National Fellowship Centre for organizing the cultural exchange programme for the students of MU and Nagaland.
While expressing their experience of being assimilated in Naga culture, he said that the hospitality and warmth they have experienced in Nagaland was unparalleled. “We are experiencing the authentic Naga culture and way of life by living in homes of our host families savouring delicious Naga food and by participating in Moatsü festival,” he narrated. He also said that this was their first isit to the North East region of India for most of them and added, “We all have already fallen in love with this beautiful place and exceptionally wonderful people who live here. Each and every family we have been to have welcomed us and have made us feel at home.” He also looked forward to hosting Naga students in their home state. “Later in this year, we look forward to welcome our brothers and sisters from Nagaland to Maharashtra and give us an opportunity to reciprocate by hosting you in Maharashtra,” he said.
On their experience of staying at Chungtia village, he said, “I must mention that it is not only cultural exchange but also an exchange of our hearts, ideas and memories which will be with us forever. Our visit to Chungtia has given us a glimpse of vast diversity in our country.”
Gov meets frontal orgs in Mkg
Mokokchung, May 3 (DIPR): Nagaland Governor, PB Acharya who arrived in Mokokchung on Wednesday to attend the Moatsü festival at Chungtia village met the leaders of frontal organizations of Mokokchung town this morning.
The Governor had wide ranging discussions with the leaders on various issues including an acceptable solution to the protracted Naga political issues, opening a new avenue for the unemployed educated youth and gearing up a renewed effort to take up over all development of the state, at par with the rest of the states, with special focus on education and training of young people for entrepreneurship.
During his meeting with leaders of Ao Senden, Watsu Mungdang and Ao Students Conference, the Governor shared his views on early solution to the protracted Naga political issue and hoped that it may “happen soon.”
Ao Senden, Watsu Mungdang and Ao Students leaders also shared their views on the cherished dream of the Nagas for a respectable agreement.
He also met members of Mokokchung Chambers of Commerce led by its president Tsukti Longkumer and heard their problems including merchant and transportation problems due to poor road. He insisted that training of young people for entrepreneurship should be made one of their agendas.
The Governor also had a meeting with members of Mokokchung Press Club led by its President, Limalenden Longkumer. The Governor expressed his appreciation to Ao vernacular newspapers ‘Ao Milen’ and ‘Tir Yim Yim’ for their role in information dissemination down to the rural people.
Later, the Governor met Heads of Offices in the District at ADC (Planning) conference hall and inquired about the implementation of welfare programmes both central as well as state particularly those flagship programmes for the upliftment of the poorest of the poor section.
On education, he called upon the concerned department to make greater efforts to show better performance saying that students belonging to poorer sections are in government schools as they could not afford private schools. During his interaction with various leaders, PB Acharya mentioned twice: “you are proud to be a Christian, I am proud to be a Hindu; religion should be made personal to make a man a better.”
