Lamka, May 22 2010: Contending that blocking the lifeline of more than 23 lakh people to fulfill one's demand is too harsh for the larger innocent public, All India Tribals Students' Association today appealed the Naga tribe leaders and students to lift the indefinite blockade imposed along NH 39 and 53 .

"In the interest of the common public, especially, the poor tribals whose basic survival is directly threatened by this blockade, AITSA appealed the Naga brothers and leaders to withdraw the indefinite blockade on the highways", said AITSA President K Zou in a statement issued today.

Should the common public and the poor tribals be treated as a sacrificial lamb in this scuffle, asked the statement that also claimed that 41 percent of the affected people are tribals.

Imposing blockade or organizing dharnas for a reasonable period of time may be used as tool for ones right to be heard.

But resorting to indefinite blocking the lifeline of lakhs of people is inhumane and amounts to act of cruelty, it added.

The All India Tribals Students' Association statement also appealed the State Government to withdraw the Court's order for the production of Presidents of ANSAM and ATSUM in a PIL case as the problem of the Nagas is political that can be settle only through dialogue and understanding.