Mokokchung, August 21 (MTNews): The Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) has urged the state government to expedite the operationalization of Nagaland Staff Selection Board (NSSB). The federation has warned that the student community would resort to democratic protests very soon if NSSB is not made operational.
Addressing a press conference in Dimapur on Saturday after holding the 3rd Federal Assembly of 2021-23 tenure, NSF President Kegwayhun Tep said that the meeting discussed a number of issues confronting the Naga people and the Naga students, including the Nagaland Staff Selection Board (NSSB), AFSPA and the Oting incident.
On the NSSB, Tep said that the state government has yet to activate the Board three years after it was constituted in 2019. According to him, the institution of the NSSB has not been followed up by recruitment exams till date.
Noting the frustration of unemployed youth on recruitment through improper channel, Tep reminded that the NSSB’s purpose was to ensure that backdoor appointments are done away with. Tep said that the NSSB secretary, during a meeting on August 18, has assured that advertisements would be published within this month and that the secretary had informed that despite being notified, many departments had not sent the requisitioned posts to the Board. In this regard, NSF has asked all departments to comply and forward the necessary details at the earliest. While expressing hope that the government would live up to the assurance, Tep warned that the student community would resort to democratic mode of protests if the NSSB is not operationalized.
“We are also displeased that it is almost three years since, but the government has still to operationalize the NSSB,” said Tep, while appealing the government to set in motion the recruitment process at the earliest.
Meanwhile, Tep also said the Federal Assembly resolved to appeal to educational institutions to set aside one day a week for students to wear their traditional attire in a bid to protect the cultural identity of Nagas and the indigenous people inhabiting the Naga homeland.He added that it was not an imposition but an endeavour to uphold the cultural identity of the Nagas and the indigenous people inhabiting the Naga homeland.
While the call for repealing the Armed Forces Special Powers Act was reiterated, the Federal Assembly re-endorsed its 3-point resolution adopted at the previous Assembly. The resolution related to the AFSPA and non-cooperation to the Indian armed forces. It includes boycotting any form of humanitarian aid from the military, disallowing inviting military personnel from attending any civilian events and barring civilians from partaking in any official event of the Indian Armed forces “in the Naga homeland,” and hoisting of black flags.
The NSF further appealed the Government of India for justice on the December 4, 2021 Oting killings. Tep said that NSF will ensure that until and unless justice is delivered to the victim families, the NSF will continue to fight for justice.