The Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) has put its proposed peaceful protest, scheduled to be held in Kohima on July 27, on hold until further notice.
In a notification issued on Sunday, the federation said the decision was taken following wider consultations and in view of ongoing engagements with the concerned authorities over the issues it had raised.
While the NSF did not elaborate on the nature of the ongoing discussions or identify the authorities involved, it indicated that it would decide its future course of action based on the outcome of the engagements.
“The Federation remains steadfast in our commitment to safeguarding students’ rights and will announce the next course of action should satisfactory progress not be made,” the notification stated.
The federation also expressed appreciation to students, stakeholders and the general public for their understanding, solidarity and continued support.
The protest was originally scheduled to take place at Naga Solidarity Park under the theme “Student rights are non-negotiable.” The federation had planned to submit a memorandum to the Prime Minister’s Office after the demonstration.
Earlier, the NSF announced that the protest would focus on three key issues: the alleged NEET paper leak, delays in the disbursement of scholarships, and what it described as inadequate opportunities for indigenous Naga students in central educational institutions.
On scholarships, the federation had expressed concern over prolonged delays in the release of funds and criticised the existing system of disbursing scholarships in instalments, saying it failed to provide students with adequate financial support.
The NSF had also alleged that indigenous Naga students were not receiving adequate representation and opportunities at Nagaland University and the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Nagaland, calling for fair and equitable access to opportunities at both institutions.
