HT Correspondent
Dimapur, Aug 21: The Naga Students Federation (NSF) has resolved to appeal to all the educational institutions under the Naga homeland to allow students from Class V onwards to wear Naga traditional attire once in a week in order to protect the Naga cultural identity.
“It is not an imposition but an appeal to the institutions,” NSF president K Tep said at a press conference held after the student body conducted its third federal assembly of its 2021-2023 tenure here on Saturday.
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Tep said the NSF assembly discussed various issues confronting the Naga people, particularly the student community.
He lamented that the Nagaland Government has failed to make operational the Nagaland Staff Selection Board (NSSB) three years after officially notifying its constitution.
Tep explained that the NSF has demanded setting up of the NSSB to ensure meritocracy and fairness in the employment process and do away with backdoor appointments.
He said they will resort to democratic form of protests until and unless the NSSB is not made fully functional.
The NSF has also resolved to appeal to the Government of India to deliver justice to the families of those killed in a botched ambush by army personnel in Mon district of the State on December 4, 2021.
Tep said the NSF will continue to fight till the families of the victims get justice.
Deliberating on the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in force in Naga homeland, the student body resolved not to extend cooperation to the Indian armed forces.
Tep said no individual or group across the Naga homeland will accept any humanitarian aid from the Indian armed forces nor will they be invited to any event organised in the Naga homeland. He added that no individual or group will partake in any official event of the Indian armed forces.
He said black flag will be hoisted across Naga homeland as a mark of protest against the AFSPA.
Replying to a question on the launch of the second phase of agitation against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) by the North East Students Organisation (NESO) on August 18, Tep said the NSF has not received any intimation from the NESO in this regard.
NSF general secretary Supuni Ng Philo appreciated the Government fixing the appointments for Grade 3 posts through NSSB and extending the age for appointment by two years. He added that the NSF will continue to fight for age relaxation by three years for appointment until the NSSB is made fully functional.
