Mokokchung, July 24 (MTNews): The Central Naga Students’ Association (CNSA) has said today that it is “totally appalled by the government’s funding decisions for a number of projects and initiatives whereby the government has underlined its importance to a certain section of the people” and has demanded that all development projects and fund distributions be scrutinized and distributed fairly in the overall interest of the Nagas.
CNSA, comprising of the three apex student organizations, Ao Students’ Conference (AKM), Lotha Students’ Union (LSU) and Sumi Students’ Union (SKK), went on to say that the “secretive and unjustified selfish interests of the government in coordinating and allocating the plans and resources are intolerable and threatening.”
CNSA stated that all of the state’s districts ought to be handled fairly and equally “since the government does not exist solely for the benefit of one tribe or one district.” As such, it said, “the disproportional discrepancies in development activities and disparity should be immediately looked into.” In order to ensure equity and prevent discrimination, CNSA said that the state government should “revoke and review all projects that have already been submitted and approved.”
CNSA alleged that the “partiality and preference shown by the government led by the Chief Minister to one particular district has proved that developmental funds and projects have been distributed on the basis of tribalism and nepotism.” Therefore, CNSA said, the Chief Minister should step down from his chair on moral grounds if he is “unable to take responsibility for all the discrepancies and is unable to perform his duty as a competent and unbiased person.”
CNSA further said that, at a time when the state is attempting to find a peaceful political solution, if a significant portion of the Naga population is neglected and deprived for the benefit of a “small section of people,” it will not only impede and jeopardize the Naga integration process but also lead to internal conflicts and hostility, “the consequences of which the present leaders will have to bear.”