'PIL against ILP is a threat to identity of Naga people'

Kohima, 28th June 2019

The Naga People’s Front seriously viewed the filing of PIL by one Mr. Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay in the Supreme Court of India in against the coverage of ILP to the Dimapur District.

The NPF reiterate its stand for the protection of the Naga people, its culture, tradition, customary practices and the indigenous inhabitants of Nagaland. Therefore, the NFP strongly demand Mr. Ashwini to withdraw the PIL from the Court as Mr. Ashwini should know that, out of 29 states in India, Nagaland state is the only state to have been created out of political agreement and hence a special provision was also inserted in the form of Article 371 (A).

Mr. Ashwini should educate himself that British has introduced Bengal Eastern Frontal Regulation 1873 with an objective to protect the rights of the Naga people, which has been legitimately inherited, recognized and implemented from the day one when the state of Nagaland was created.

As Dimapur district is legitimately under the Nagaland state, coverage of implementing ILP to the Dimapur district is the prerogative of the Naga people and Nagas have every right to do so. Since regulation of

ILP is an offshoot of political agreement, it cannot be interpreted or decided in the court of law and even if some addition or modification in the BEFR is necessitated, it should be done only through politically and not through the court.

Mr. Ashwini should not feel insecure of the Non-Nagas settled long before in Dimapur, as Naga people are the most liberal people in the country. There was no history in the past that the Nagas humiliated or mistreat the Non-Nagas and even in the future, the Nagas will remain to be accommodative.

Infact, in the past decades, Non-Nagas have dominated most of the State Government services, not to mention the business sector. And even now, the Non-Nagas have good number of people working in the State Government. Whereas, Mr. Ashwini should know, there is hardly any Nagas employed in other State in Government sector or business sector, then what kind of insecurity Mr. Ashwini feels?

The fact that Non-Nagas in the person of Mr. Ashwini mastering courage in filing PIL going against the implementation of the ILP itself is a threat for the identity of the Naga people.

Therefore, the NPF ask the PDA Government to seriously view the situation and pay attention before it goes out of proportion.

Issue by:
Press Bureau,
Naga People's Front,
Central Headquarter,
Kohima: Nagaland.