The Joint Council Forum and the Churches Colony Council have issued separate statements condemning the alleged forcible entry and lockdown of a business establishment in Churches Colony by a student body over accusations related to pricing and trade practices.
The Joint Council Forum, which comprises the Councils of NST Colony, Churches Colony and Middle Point, Dimapur, said it had taken note of reports that a student organization “allegedly entered and locked down a business establishment at Churches Colony” on allegations involving MRP, GST and other business-related practices.
While acknowledging the right to raise grievances, the Forum stressed that enforcement action rests only with competent authorities.
It stated, “While every citizen or organization has the right to raise concerns against any alleged irregularities, it is equally important to uphold the rule of law and respect the authority of the competent agencies legally entrusted to deal with such matters.”
The Forum questioned unilateral action by non-government groups, asking, “Is it the role of any student body or pressure group to unilaterally lock down a business establishment?”
It further said such actions could undermine governance structures and public order, adding that grievances must be addressed through proper legal channels.
In a separate statement issued on May 10, the Churches Colony Council strongly condemned the alleged incident involving the Dimapur Naga Students’ Union (DNSU), stating that no organization has the authority to carry out coercive enforcement.
”No student body, union, organization or pressure group has the authority to take the law into its own hands or carry out acts of coercion and intimidation under any pretext whatsoever,” it said.
It described the alleged locking down of the establishment as “unlawful, unacceptable and a direct challenge to the authority of the government, district administration and law enforcement agencies.”
The Churches Colony Council urged authorities to take cognizance of the matter, conduct a detailed inquiry and initiate appropriate legal action. It also stated that Churches Colony “will not tolerate any form of unlawful intimidation” and stated that the rule of law must prevail.
Both bodies reiterated that all disputes and allegations must be addressed strictly through established legal mechanisms.
