Dimapur, September 20 (MExN): The apex students’ organizations of the four tribes Ao, Angami, Kyong and Sumi today served an ultimatum to the Nagaland government to revoke the Cabinet’s decision to recruit 10 Extra Assistant Commissioners under its “special recruitment drive.” The order must be revoked by September 30 or else all administration of the four districts – Kohima, Mokokchung, Wokha and Zunheboto would be shut down indefinitely, followed by boycott of examinations, the four organizations said in a joint statement received here today.
Ao, Angami, Sumi & Kyong students threaten shutdown of Mkg, Kohima, Zbto, Wokha
President of the Angami Students’ Union, Ao Students’ Conference, Kyong Students’ Union and the All Sumi Students’ Union appended the statement.
The four unions expressed strong resentment and served “ultimatum to the state government to revoke the Cabinet decision with regard to the Special Recruitment Drive on ten Extra Assistant Commissioner posts for the backward class, on or before 30th of September 2011. Failing which, the administration of the four districts i.e., Mokokchung, Wokha, Kohima & Zunheboto will be shut down indefinitely, followed by the boycott of the examination.”
The students’ organization pointed out the reasons why yet again the state government had made an anomalous and lopsided decision.
Firstly, the statement pointed out, Nagaland government’s power to make special provision for the backward class under Article 15(4) and 16(4) of the Constitution does not entitle the State to make policies on discriminatorily.
“The supreme court, in its various rulings have held that ‘backwardness’ as defined in article 15(4) and 16(4) should be both social and educational, and not either. According to 2011 census, with the exception of Mon district with 56.60 percent literacy rate, the literacy rate of all the remaining districts that comes under the purview of reservation benefits is above 71 percent. Therefore, they may be socially backward but the question of ‘educational backwardness’ does not arise. Hence, the state government’s formulation of policy on special recruitment drive on the strength of article 15(4) & 16(4) is flawed,” the students reminded.
Further, the statement said, the “backward tribes” are already enjoying 37 percent reservation in the existing reservation policy of the state and allotting another 10 EAC post at the cost of ‘forward tribes’ is irrational.
Another snag that the students pointed out about the Cabinet’s decision was the position of the EAC as one of the top most bureaucratic posts under the State that requires utmost efficiency in running the affairs of the State. “Hence, allotting this top most post to the so called backward tribes alone defeats the very object of the word efficiency,” the statement said.
“The Cabinet decision on special recruitment drive as one time compensatory measure will create a wrong precedence in the history of Naga politics because political parties will come and go, but the policies and laws of the government once implemented will remain as precedence. The same tool can be used by other group/s of legislators to affect a similar legislation which will lead to a total incongruence and antagonization of this welfare policy,” the students’ stated.
Presidents Vito Angami, Akok Ao, Subenthung Kyong and Nihoyi Kinimi appended the statement.
Ao, Angami, Sumi & Kyong students threaten shutdown of Mkg, Kohima, Zbto, Wokha
President of the Angami Students’ Union, Ao Students’ Conference, Kyong Students’ Union and the All Sumi Students’ Union appended the statement.
The four unions expressed strong resentment and served “ultimatum to the state government to revoke the Cabinet decision with regard to the Special Recruitment Drive on ten Extra Assistant Commissioner posts for the backward class, on or before 30th of September 2011. Failing which, the administration of the four districts i.e., Mokokchung, Wokha, Kohima & Zunheboto will be shut down indefinitely, followed by the boycott of the examination.”
The students’ organization pointed out the reasons why yet again the state government had made an anomalous and lopsided decision.
Firstly, the statement pointed out, Nagaland government’s power to make special provision for the backward class under Article 15(4) and 16(4) of the Constitution does not entitle the State to make policies on discriminatorily.
“The supreme court, in its various rulings have held that ‘backwardness’ as defined in article 15(4) and 16(4) should be both social and educational, and not either. According to 2011 census, with the exception of Mon district with 56.60 percent literacy rate, the literacy rate of all the remaining districts that comes under the purview of reservation benefits is above 71 percent. Therefore, they may be socially backward but the question of ‘educational backwardness’ does not arise. Hence, the state government’s formulation of policy on special recruitment drive on the strength of article 15(4) & 16(4) is flawed,” the students reminded.
Further, the statement said, the “backward tribes” are already enjoying 37 percent reservation in the existing reservation policy of the state and allotting another 10 EAC post at the cost of ‘forward tribes’ is irrational.
Another snag that the students pointed out about the Cabinet’s decision was the position of the EAC as one of the top most bureaucratic posts under the State that requires utmost efficiency in running the affairs of the State. “Hence, allotting this top most post to the so called backward tribes alone defeats the very object of the word efficiency,” the statement said.
“The Cabinet decision on special recruitment drive as one time compensatory measure will create a wrong precedence in the history of Naga politics because political parties will come and go, but the policies and laws of the government once implemented will remain as precedence. The same tool can be used by other group/s of legislators to affect a similar legislation which will lead to a total incongruence and antagonization of this welfare policy,” the students’ stated.
Presidents Vito Angami, Akok Ao, Subenthung Kyong and Nihoyi Kinimi appended the statement.
