HT Correspondent
DIMAPUR, March 14: The Naga Students Federation will hold a public rally at Kohima on 16 March to collectively express the concerns and opposition of the Naga people against the compulsory imposition of Vande Mataram.
The federation expressed deep concern over the implications of the recent notification issued by the ministry of home affairs on January 28, mandating the compulsory observance and singing of the ‘revised Indian national song’ Vande Mataram during official functions and in educational institutions, within the Naga homeland.
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In a release, the NSF said the rally also seeks to uphold the democratic principle that the conscience and will of the people must be respected in any administrative directive affecting the concerned populace.
In solidarity with the central rally at Kohima, the federation asked all its federating units and subordinate bodies across the Naga homeland to organise peaceful demonstrations at their respective centre on March 16.
All units have also been directed to ensure that the educational institutions under their respective jurisdictions observe a symbolic and peaceful demonstration within their institutions on the same day.
The NSF said this collective exercise aims to express the opposition of the Naga people to the compulsory imposition of Vande Mataram, protect the rights and conscience of Naga students and educational institutions, reaffirm the distinct identity, beliefs and historical consciousness of the Naga people and demonstrate unity among the Nagas in safeguarding “our rights and dignity”. All federating units and subordinate bodies have been asked to submit pictorial and video documentation of the demonstrations conducted within their jurisdiction to the NSF office for record and documentation purposes.
