Morung Express News
Dimapur | May 4
The Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) is expected to keep up its pressure on the Superannuation issue which has been linked to the apex students’ body since the early 1990s. Outgoing NSF president, Imchatoba Imchen, while delivering his speech during the recently concluded 23rd NSF General Conference at Mopungchuket village, made mention of what has now come to be known as the “gentlemen assurance” given by the DAN government for legislating on the length of service as demanded by the NSF. The Neiphiu Rio government had given this assurance on November 28, 2008, following the NSF’s threat to launch a state-wide agitation.
The outgoing president in his farewell speech mentioned that the NSF had in fact anticipated the legislation to be brought out during the Assembly session of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly held on March 2009. “However the government explained that due to the model code of conduct of Parliamentary elections, the State government was unable to legislate in the first assembly,” stated Imchen. The outgoing president, however, expressed the hope that the “gentlemen assurance” will be legislated upon in the coming mid-assembly session slated to be held between June and July 2009.
Given the controversy surrounding the Superannuation issue and reports of “wild allegations” levelled against the NSF, the former president stated that despite the suspicions and other stumbling blocks the NSF was able to boldly continue to work with confidence and in a cohesive manner. “Today, I am proud to declare to you that we were not cowed down by the challenges that crossed our way. The true sense of satisfaction and justice dawned when the Government finally agreed to implement the demands of the NSF,” stated Imchen.
On the NPSC issue, the NSF stated that it was vocal against all forms of corruptions in the NPSC institution, which is the premier recruitment agency in the state, and lamented that the “corruption level has extended to haves and have-nots”. “While there are thousands upon thousands of educated unemployed youths, there are a few who are using dubious means for personal gain totally discarding the larger interest of our society,” lamented the outgoing President while assuring that the “unfinished tasks” had been passed on to the new incumbents to pursue further with renewed vision and strength.
