Manipur govt order on I-Day celebrations ruffles Naga organisation’s feathers

Express News Service

GUWAHATI: The Manipur chief secretary’s order asking all village authorities to collect the Tricolour from the respective sub-divisional officer (SDO) and hoist it on Independence Day on Sunday met with opposition.

The United Naga Council (UNC), which is the state’s apex Naga civil society organisation, called for a bandh from Saturday midnight till Sunday midnight in protest against the order.

“As per minutes of the meeting held on 07/08/2021 chaired by Chief Secretary, Government of Manipur, all headmen/chiefs of all villages under Ukhrul district are hereby notified to celebrate the 75th Independence Day by hoisting the national flag in their respective villages while adhering to Covid appropriate behaviour. 

“Further, all the headmen/chiefs are requested to collect national flag from their concerned SDOs,” a notification issued by Ukhrul District Magistrate Joseph Pauline Kamson reads.

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A similar notification was issued by all DMs. The UNC demanded that the Chief Secretary retract the order at the earliest and warned that in the event of failure to do so, it would take its own course of action.

The organisation directed all apex organizations of the Nagas in the districts, women, students, and tribal bodies to strictly enforce the total shutdown in their jurisdiction.

“India is a democratic country and the Naga people had never opposed the celebration of Indian Independence Day. It is unprecedented that the Government of Manipur and district administrations are resorting to such cheap tactics to further suppress the political aspiration of Naga people and decades-long struggle for achieving enduring peace in the region,” the UNC said in a statement.

“The Naga people vehemently condemn the recent provocative action of state security forces in dishonoring the sanctity of Naga National Flag and the people of Chandel district in particular. The ransacking of Naga People Organization (NPO) office, Senapati and Senapati District Students’ Association (SDSA) office and snatching away of Naga Flag by the Assam Riffles are tantamount to insulting the Naga people,” the statement further reads.

The UNC appealed to the general public and the Nagas, in particular, to extend their fullest cooperation to the bandh.