NAGA CLUB REJOINDER TO PRESS RELEASE BY PRESIDENT AND GEN SECY NSF

Whereas Mr Kegwayhun Tep, President, NSF and Mr Süpuning Philo, Gen. Secy, NSF in a press release in local dailies dt 13.06.23 have mentioned the name of Kuolachalie Seyie and have personally attacked him for stating the truth boldly on behalf of the Naga Club (NC) and the people of Nagaland and which he has truthfully done in the capacity of the President NC and not as the individual, and whereas you have demonstrated unwarranted and intense hatred by personal attack on the individual person, accusing him of lying to mislead the Nagas even when he has stated facts in consonance with the records available in the Archives of the NC. Now, therefore, having duly noted of your sheer hatred, vindictive and spiteful venomous string of words, you are hereby informed that should any harm or intent to harm befall Mr K Seyie or any of his kith or kin or his property or any of his team members in the NC, Mr K Tep and Süpuning Philo shall be solely held responsible.

The office bearers of the NC are duly elected in a succession and continuity of office authority that has been passed down to the present office bearers, the most prominent of which being Mr Kewezü Mero who had been the Joint Secy cum Caretaker in 1982 and handed over the mantle to the new team in 2017, and Mr Khymo Lotha who had formerly held office of the NC as Secy cum Caretaker from 1965 to 1969, now they along with Kewezü Mero continues to be the Advisors of the NC from 2017 till date. Whereas the existence of such strong proof of the legitimacy of the NC has become an obstacle for the NSF to usurp the NC Bldg and Plot, therefore, has compelled the NSF to manufacture lies in their attempt to discredit the NC since 2017.

The NC was formed by some educated and erudite Govt. servants serving in the DC’s Office, Kohima on 7th Jan. 1918 under the Chairmanship of Rheichalie Pienyü, peshkar, and the NSF in its attempt to distort the facts of history, has been misleading the public by stating the narrative as well as recorded in its souvenir that the NC was formed by the Naga Labour Corps who returned only by June 1918 when the NC was already in existence. The NC was not necessarily formed by a mandate of the people but the Simon Commission submitted through the Platform of the NC had as much clearly stated that it represented all the Nagas and laid the foundation of the Nagas’ right to self-determination and made it possible for every Naga to have a MANDATE in their right to self-determination.

In the matter of the celebration of 100 years of NC and the erection of the NC Centenary monolith, the NSF had expressed vigorous enthusiasm and willingness to be a part of the celebration of the shared history of the NC, but after the Federal Assembly of the NSF at Senapati Dist. Manipur, there was a drastic change of heart and after which the NSF had vehemently opposed the erection of the NC Centenary monolith at its rightful place near the NC Bldg, thereby causing irreparable harm in your attempt to obliterate the legacy of the Naga people and the NC. This also clearly suggests that the NSF is being managed on proxy and being manipulated by people who have no concern for the collective interest of the Naga Society and hiding behind the students’ organization and dictating the activities on NSF.

The NC in order to reconstruct the NC Bldg had desired to have a meeting with our tenant NSF for about 7 long years with repeated appeals made, and whereas after exercising due patience and restraint and having noted the tenant NSF’s absolute refusal to have a meeting, two eviction notices were served to the tenants of the NC Bldg and the NC had initiated the demolition process and demolished 1/3rd of the old dilapidated NC Bldg peacefully in the preceding weeks for the purpose of reconstruction. It was found that NSF had continued to illegally stay beyond the time stipulated for eviction and has also been found to be obstructing other tenants to vacate the NC Bldg and manufacturing false narratives to portray itself as a victim.

The demolition was conducted in the early morning at 4:45 AM on 27.05.23 so as not to bring any inconvenience to the public. Be that as it may, generally speaking, it is the prerogative of the owner at what time it wishes to undertake whatever activities in its property so long as it does not cause public obstruction and inconvenience. The tenant NSF has occupied the NC Bldg for 40 years and the NC shall not wait furthermore for the defaulting tenant NSF for the reconstruction of the dilapidated Bldg otherwise NC would be failing the Nagas and the posterity.

The Angami Public Organization (APO) and Kohima Village Council (KVC) had appealed to both the NSF and NC to ‘cease issuing press statements, say or do anything against each other which may only aggravate the situation’ and the NSF continues to defy this appeal and continues to indulge in nefarious propagandas of hatred not only against the officials of NC both past and present in their press statement dt 13.06.23, but the whole legacy and history of the Naga people and the NC, which undermines the authority of APO and KVC appeal.

In a display of stubborn arrogance and disrespect to the two authorities, the tenant NSF has been indulging in activities at the site of the demolished NC Bldg in addition to continuing press releases, and therefore the NC is compelled to respond so that NSF does not continue to spew hatred based on concocted lies and narratives. The tenant NSF continues to state that the present NC office bearers are claiming the NC Bldg for their personal gain and nothing can be farther from the truth, the tenant NSF has been found to be guilty of indulging in personal gains by unauthorized and illegal subletting of the NC Bldg to other commercial establishments in spite of NC’s principles of free Guest House to promote brotherhood and unity from the remotest Naga inhabited areas, thereby the hypocrisy and vested selfish interest of tenant NSF is clearly exposed.

Your bogus claim dt 13.06.23 stated that “on 31st October 1974, Vilalhoulie Angami wrote to the President NSF requesting everyone that the NSF take over charge of the Naga Students’ Federation cum Naga Club for the welfare of the Nagas”. This letter has gross and erroneous fallacies that unless you are determined to distort the facts of history, you should not rely upon it if you care for the preservation of historical facts and the legacy of the Naga people. The NC Bldg neither belongs to any individual/group of individuals nor does it belong to Mr Vilalhoulie. He has no authority to hand over or dispose the property to NSF. He has neither held office of the NC, nor was the NC Bldg his private property. Under no civilized law can a third person give away the property of one to another. This letter of Vilalhoulie which the defaulting tenant NSF has been using to usurp the NC property into its own name has done exactly that and therefore has no value or locus standi in a civilized society of justice.

On 7th Jan. 1982 at Kohima Vill. Panchayat, under the auspices of the Naga Elders’ Conference including public leaders such as Khymo Lotha, Dr Satuo Sekhose, Satuo Kuotsu, Azüto Rengma, Khriesavisie Hieme, Vilavor Liegise, Kewezü Mero, Pudile Angami, Pastor G Shihani Igha, etc, a large general public meeting was convened consisting of almost all the tribal Hoho representatives, NC members and descendants of Simon Commission signatories, the NC was revived with Azüto Rengma as the Chairman, Vilavor Liegise as the Gen. Secy. and Kewezü Mero as Joint Secy. Mero held his post as Joint Secy. cum Caretaker till 17.08.2017, and whereas the tenant NSF in its press release avoided mentioning this whole fact as it would render their arguments ineffective and prove that the past as well as the present NC office has legitimate legal sanction.

In 1963, the Directorate of the Forest Dept. occupied the NC Bldg till the early part of 1983, and on learning that the Forest Dept. was to vacate the NC Bldg by the end of March 1983 and that the Govt. was contemplating to hand over the Bldg to the Directorate of Education, a prominent concerned Naga citizen alerted Peselie Suokhrie, Chairman, Naga Elders’ Conference and Azűto Rengma, Chairman, NC of the impending taking over by another Govt. Dept. and the two leaders on affirming the facts immediately met our youth leaders and directed them to lock up the NC’s Bldg gate, thereby preventing another Dept. of the Govt. from reoccupying the Bldg.

As per the statement of the person who alerted the aforementioned elders, a sum of Rs 600/- was also given to our youths which facilitated in the mobilization of youths and to purchase an oversized lock to lock the Bldg gate. On vacation of the Bldg by the Forest Dept, the NSF vide letter dt 4th Apr. 1983 wrote a letter addressed to the Gen. Secy, NC with the subject “Application for renting the Building of Naga Club”. Accordingly, the NC through an Order Dt 07/04/1983 allotted some rooms of the Bldg to NSF under the condition which states “with the good consent of mutual understanding under rental basis with effect from the date of issue of this order”. Therefore, it leaves no doubt as to NSF being a tenant in the NC Bldg.

Your statement “And this receipt of Rs 500 for the month of April 1983 paid by NSF became evident of proof and the court ruled in favour of the Naga Club, which was never contested again” further affirms and as admitted by yourself that the NC has ownership of the Bldg and the NSF is a tenant and therefore ought to have conducted itself as a tenant. On a regular demand of monthly rent during the tenure of Shri Vilavor Liegise, the then Gen. Secy NC, a mere Rs 50/- or Rs 100/- was paid instead of Rs 500/- per month citing that they do not have money and rent was never paid properly for the last 40 years except for the first month and to which there are living witnesses till date, the same has been converted into a commercial establishment for selfish interest thereby collecting rents and would not pay to the NC.

Your repeated statement that ‘the same building which at that point in time was also being claimed by another group of individuals, in the name of another Naga Club, and the dispute was lying under the court of DC, Kohima for hearing’ is another of your speaking half-truths to distort the facts. The matter had been settled at the statesmanship and witness taken by the APO on 17th Aug. 1984 in the Court of DC Lima Aier and the so-called new NC formed by the Naga Football Association (NFA) in the period when the NC laid hiatus and laid claim to the NC Bldg in 1979 was disposed and dissolved and the original NC which was revived under the Convenorship of Mr Wezülhi Chakhesang and the NC headed by Azüto Rengma as Chairman and his team as was elected on 7th Jan. 1982 was bestowed the legitimate rights of the NC. Your repeated claims of another NC case lying pending in the DC’s Court are not true.

The intention of the NC to demolish the dilapidated NC Bldg and to reconstruct a new modern Bldg to promote the priceless values of our forefathers amongst our people and to assert the rightful and distinguished image of the NC and to serve as a monumental asset as well as to honor the illustrious legacy of our pioneer forefathers who established the Institution of the NC to represent the Nagas with much wisdom and foresight. The conduct of the tenant NSF to refuse to vacate the NC Bldg has been against the interest of the Naga people as a whole.

The NSF officials had attempted to transfer the Bldg and plot of NC into its own name but was found out and such an act of theft of our Naga heritage and our property had been prevented by the NC. On a query by the media published on 29.05.23 in the Nagaland Post “On the issue of NSF asking for a plot of land (NC Bldg and plot) to be transferred to its name which was later denied after Naga Club asked DC to not issue the same” stated by the President of the tenant NSF K Tep had obliquely admitted to such criminal act and responded accordingly to defend the criminal possession of the fraudulently obtained patta.

The NSF had constituted a fictitious NC Bldg Committee signed by Neivor Rutsa as Convener and Kesosu Christopher Ltu, President NSF without the consent and legal sanction of the NC. Such a measure is another means to usurp the NC property by the tenant NSF who had illegally and fraudulently obtained land patta of the NC Bldg in the name of NC under their application dt 07.09.2017. Our tenant NSF stated in their application dt 07.09.2017 that (quote) “NSF therefore, decided to carry on the legacy of the Naga Club by constructing a building in memory of the Naga Club to be utilized and maintained by the NSF for the common cause and interest of the younger generation. We therefore on behalf of Naga Club building committee request your good office to kindly issue a patta in the name of Naga Club under the custody of NSF” (unquote). This declaration and resolution as stated above without the consent, knowledge and legal sanction of NC to own the NC property is highly illegal and unwarranted. Such a self-styled Naga Club Bldg committee formed by NSF is outright null and void in the eye of law. As such, an FIR against the tenant NSF for criminal deception and obtaining of land patta of the NC and fraudulently holding the same illegally is registered under Kohima (N) PS PIO, PT/IV, Regd. No. 609, Dt 08.06.2023. The NC is a registered society having genuine Land Patta as well as Construction Permit with necessary committees for the construction of NC Bldg for the Nagas without borders to provide free accommodation to the needy travelers coming from remote regions to promote brotherhood and unity.

When the NC has fostered the magnanimity to reconstruct the NC Bldg for all the Nagas, the absurd claim of NSF that the NC intended to celebrate the 100 years Centenary Celebration only for the tribes of Nagaland State is being concocted to defend its sudden drastic change of heart after the Senapati Federal Assembly. To heap such lies and to put words into the mouth of a deceased respectable person has shown the characteristic of a shameless tenant NSF and to what extent it would go to manufacture another lie to cover the lies. Whereas the lies and manufactured narratives were responded with facts even by the former President Krurovi Peseyie and whereas you continue to even tarnish his good reputation and character after his death and blaming him for incidents he is not responsible for.

In the same press release, the tenant NSF stated that it will resume its normal functioning at the demolished NC Bldg in a direct and arrogant challenge of the APO and KVC authority and its appeal, has defied the appeal of the two respectable authorities and the resolution of the KVC in particular that ‘No activities shall be allowed in the contentious site’. And whereas the NC, despite the legal rights to resume demolition and construction of the NC Bldg, has refrained from any further activities at the moment, out of respect and regard for the two authorities.

It has been learnt that the tenant NSF has been using innocent small school students as labor as well as human shield for any confrontation started from 15.06.23 that may arise against its illegal activities at the construction site. The endeavor of APO and KVC as peacemakers to facilitate the matter for amicable resolution is appreciated, however, it will be unfortunate if their own endeavor will be betrayed by their own stance of favorable partiality towards NSF by allowing such illegal trespass activities by the NSF while restricting the NC for any justified activities.

While the NC has been striving to preserve the rich legacy of the Nagas and the NC, the NSF has been striving to obliterate the Naga heritage and the NC by distorting the facts of history by concocted stories and fabrication of facts on several occasions. The tenant NSF has alleged the NC to be peddling ‘half-truths and half-lies’ to mislead the Nagas, the NC requests the defaulting tenant NSF to specify the alleged half-lies or half-truths so that the whole truth and the whole lies of NSF be exposed for all to see for themselves.

In view of such detrimental activities of the tenant NSF who has been acting against the interest of the Naga People for the purpose of its own selfish benefit alone, it can no longer be taken into confidence because of not only its unwillingness to accept the facts of history, but also of its willful distortions of the facts of history with lies and concocted stories based on assumptions and refusal to accept the truth, and to sabotage any plans proposed to be undertaken by the NC to preserve the glorious legacy of the Naga People. To this shameless act of NSF which was once a glorious organization, the people of this generation are witnesses to the selfishness of a few NSF officials and their manipulators who had used and exploited the organization for their personal benefit.

The NC shall continue to stand for truth based on the facts of history without fear or favor, and shall protect the legacy of the NC from being ravished, exploited or manipulated by any person including NSF officials for selfish gain, and shall continue to uphold the interest of the Nagas always and for all generations to come so as not to fail our people at this critical juncture. The NC firmly believes that we shall know the truth and the truth shall set us free from all the lies and manufactured narratives that the tenant NSF has been airing in the wind. For further information you may go to nagaclub.in for Naga Club Archives. Thanking you.

Dt Kma: 17.06.23
Information & Publicity Cell
Naga Club,
Kohima Nagaland