Naga student orgs stage demonstration as B20 delegates proceed to Kohima

April 5, 2023 24 Views No Comment

Morung Express News
Dimapur | April 5

The state government must have left no stone unturned to present a spick and span image on account of the Business 20 (B20) Summit, but it could not help but be outsmarted to allow a public demonstration in the afternoon on April 4. The demonstration was staged by a conglomeration of three Naga student organisations, drawing attention to the unresolved Indo-Naga political issue.

It coincided with the arrival of foreign delegates and Government of India officials from Delhi for the Business 20 (B20) summit scheduled to begin on April 5 in Kohima.

The demonstrators were from the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF), Dimapur Naga Students’ Union (DNSU) and Diphupar Naga Students’ Union (DNSU). They gathered at the hurriedly built ‘Welcome’ gate at the Chathe Bridge trijunction, NH 29, Chümoukedima to display a banner with a message in big fonts, apparently intended for the visiting dignitaries to notice.

The message was from the Naga Hoho, Naga Mother’s Association, Naga People’s Movement for Human Rights, Naga Students’ Federation and Global Naga Forum.

An NSF official termed the action as a way “to voice out the aspiration of the Naga people during the scheduled global event.”

As per official sources, the demonstration occurred around 2:30 pm and lasted briefly for around 15 minutes. Meanwhile, when enquired, the police on evening duty at the site said they were not aware of what transpired in the morning shift. A shopkeeper in the area estimated that the demonstrators were around for around 10 to 20 minutes holding the banner.

In another location, at the airport road, 3rd Mile, another group of people displayed a warm ‘Dear delegates, Naga people welcomes you to Nagaland’ banner.

Tuesday’s display was reminiscent of a demonstration staged by the DNSU, earlier in February, during the Prime Minister’s trip to Nagaland. The DNSU demonstration, which also drew attention to the Indo-Naga political issue, occurred as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s motorcade was being escorted to the airport after his address at an election rally at the Agri Expo on February 24.