In response to the show cause notice issued by the Dimapur District GB Association, Rising People’s Party (RPP) president, Joel Naga, convened a press conference today to clarify his stance. He stated that his previous remarks were his personal opinion and emphasized that he had never intended to defame the GBs.
“It was a personal opinion. I did not intend to defame the GBs. I also stated that it is open to debate. We are living in a democratic country. We are not living in communist China, and this is a Naga issue. I shared my personal opinion,” Joel firmly asserted.
The dispute between Joel and the GB Association Dimapur arose from an opinion Joel shared with a local media outlet earlier this week, where he shared his personal perspective, stating, “There should be no GBship in the town.” In response, K Hokuto Zhimomi, President of the Dimapur District GB Association, expressed disappointment with Joel’s opinion and regretted that Joel had inadvertently antagonized all town GBs.
Zhimomi clarified the association’s stance, saying, “We want to explain to him the importance of GBs in the towns. We wish to rectify his concerns and misconceptions about town GBs, which is why we have issued a show-cause notice.”
In his response during the conference today, Joel further provided insight into the historical context of the GBs, tracing their origin back to the British era when village elders were recognized as GBs and held responsible for upholding Naga customary laws. He explained that even today, GBs continue to play a significant role in Naga society.
Joel elaborated on the transition after statehood when village councils were established, incorporating the GBs as an integral part of the council. He highlighted the distinction between towns and villages, emphasizing that towns possess District administration, police, and courts, and therefore, customary laws are not often applied in the town. In this context, he suggested that it might be more suitable not to have GBs in urban areas, while reiterating that this was a topic open for debate.
Addressing the GB union in Dimapur, Joel questioned the diversion of focus from the main issue, which was the status of Mr Talukdar, reportedly a non-indigenous person. He called for unity among the Nagas, regardless of political affiliations.
Joel concluded by expressing concerns over the impact of the GB association’s show cause notice on Naga unity during these critical times. He also announced his party’s plans to file multiple RTIs with the DC office, Statistical office, DMC, and district transfer office, spanning the past ten years.
This controversial issue came to light following a clarification from the NSCN-IM on 2 October when it made a counter-narrative to the arrest of two of its members by the Dimapur Police on Saturday in connection with the “kidnap” of Abdul Kayum Talukdar, the Gaon Burah (GB) of New Market Dimapur.