Mokokchung, March 23 (MTNews): Reacting to the report of BJP Nagaland state unit president and Minister for Higher Education and Tribal Affairs Temjen Imna Along’s speech in the floor of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly on March 22, wherein he is said to have said that “separate Naga constitution and flag were not possible under the Indian Constitution,” the Naga Students’ Federation has cautioned the state Minister against activating his “verbal diarrhea mode on issues wherein he has very little or no knowledge about.”
“The Naga Students’ Federation condemns the arguments forwarded by Minister and State BJP President Temjen Imna Along Longkumer against the stand of the Naga people for the Flag and the Constitution to be accepted and recognized by the Government of India through the proposed solution, to the protracted Indo-Naga political issue during his recent speech in the Nagaland Legislative Assembly. His insinuation that certain Naga political groups are indulging in delaying tactics for their selfish gains only reflects the shallow understanding of the issue that is just, fair and righteous. While he indulges in rhetoric that pleases his political bosses at the centre, he has altogether forgotten the blood, sweat and tears of those who gave up their everything in order to usher in a solution that is inclusive, honourable and acceptable to every Naga individual,” the NSF retorted.
NSF further said that Along’s “public advocacy for the Naga solution to be brought within the framework of the Indian Constitution” undermines the founding principles of the Naga homeland and the same is not accepted by the Naga youth and students’ community. “More so, his conviction that separate flag and constitution shall not form a part of the ‘solution’ reeks of a conspiracy to deprive the Naga people our legitimate rights wherein he is an integral part of, if not the mastermind of the same,” NSF added.
“It is truly saddening that the elected people’s representative fails to truly comprehend the larger issue at hand and chooses to be the shadow and the echo of the few names he threw around during his eloquently crafted speech at the state legislative assembly,” NSF said, while condemning “his inability to assert the rights of the Naga people and for towing the lines of those truly responsible for the delay in honouring the unique history and situation of the Naga people.”
“Being a first time elected member of the state Legislative Assembly does not automatically qualify him to make sweeping statements on an issue that is more than a century old and involves the sacrifices of the entire Naga people,” NSF said.