The team comprising of Sumi frontal organizations and others during their call on Atul Bora, Minister of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, & Veterinary, Fishery, Border Affairs, Assam Accord & Cooperation, Assam on January 26.
Dimapur, January 27 (MExN): The Western Sumi Youth Front (WSYF) accompanied a team of Sumi frontal organizations including Sumi Hoho, Western Sumi Baptist Association, Dimapur GBs Association, Sumi student leaders and others led by Y Kikheto Sema IAS, Agriculture Production Commissioner (APC), Nagaland to commemorate 118th village Foundation day at Longtong (Atuphu) Sema Naga village, Margherita, Tinsukia Assam.
While returning back to Dimapur, a team made an intermediary stop-over at Circuit House, Jorhat and paid a courtesy call on Atul Bora, Minister of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, & Veterinary, Fishery, Border Affairs, Assam Accord & Cooperation, Assam on January 26, stated a press release by Otoka H Yeptho, Vice President, WSYF.
The APC and other Sumi leaders apprised the Minister of “how Nagas in that area were permitted by the British to establish their village way back in 1904 and have been existing there even before India was independent or Assam became a constituent State of India and since then they have been actively contributing for the well being of the State.” Therefore, they implored the Minister to “look into the affair and protect the rights of these minority people,” to which, the Minister stated that “he will be visiting those areas soon and guarantees that he will look after the affairs and rights of these peoples.” He also assured the team that he will look into the future developmental affairs of these villages.
Meanwhile, Hukavi Yeputhomi, Chairman, United Naga Tribes Association on Border Areas who was also with the team thanked both the Chief Minister of Assam and Nagaland for deciding to resolve the border issues outside the court. He expounded to Minister that the Civil Suit No. 2 of Supreme Court 1988 filed by the Assam Government “is pending at the Supreme Court would be a hindrance to the cordial discussion which has been proposed by the two State Government.” He therefore, suggested the Minister to consider withdrawing that case to pave way for amicable settlement between the two states. To this, the Minister, who is also holding the charge of Border Affairs under the Assam Government agreed with Yeputhomi that the case evidently would become a barrier to pragmatic border settlement between the two States and thus, he would look into the subject.
Kikheto Sema enlightened the Minister that Ahoms and the Nagas had historical ties dating back to 1200 AD, and so it would be significant that we revive that age old friendship. The minister agreed with Sema on the importance of the subject.
