Mokokchung, 8 April (MTNews): The Zünheboto Town GB Association (ZTGBA) on Monday said it was appalled by the wrong information being circulated on social media claiming that they have pledged support for the Congress party in the 2024 Lok Sabha Election.
Refuting the stated claim, the ZTGBA said in a press release that it exists to serve the interests of the citizens of Zunheboto Town. Saying that ZTGBA is an apolitical and non-religious association, “which only serves to safeguard the customary laws of our society,” it added that deeming the Association as “openly campaigning for one party against the other is highly insulting and condemnable.”
The ZTGBA clarified that, on 6 April 2024, its members were invited by District Congress Committee, Zunheboto “in our capacity as facilitators to ensure free and fair conduct of the election procedure in our respective wards and the town in general.” The ZTGBA said that it has already attended a similar meeting with the PDA alliance partners too. “That these meetings are the norm during the election process, and therefore, should not be misunderstood or misinterpreted as the Association willfully supporting one or the other party,” it clarified.
“We are committed to the development, progress and safeguarding the customary laws of our town, and have no inclination to use our office to align with any particular party,” ZTGBA stated. “The claim as such is preposterous and is a libel upon our association as per IPC Cyber Defamation Law,” it further said.
The ZTGBA said that it will pursue “this case of cyber defamation through legal means” as per Section 19 of the Civil Procedure Code (CPC) and Section 499 of the IPC.
“The screenshot evidence of the defamation in one tribal dialect, along with our FIR will be lodged at the Police Station, Zunheboto, if the apology is not rendered to our office in written on or before the 10th of April, 2024,” the ZTGBA declared.
“Such malignant rumors are perpetrated by vested individuals or organizations to strain the very fabric of our society, and to cause distrust and disarray,” the ZTGBA said in the press release signed by its chairman H Shihoto Zhimomi and secretary Akuto N Yeptho.