Kohima, March 18: The Panger faction of the Naga National Council (NNC) questioned the NSCN (IM)�s planning to celebrate Naga Republic Day on 21st March 2004 at Bangkok.

In a statement issued by NNC�s Information and Publicity Wing here on Thursday, the organization wondered as to how the NSCN (IM) could celebrate the �Naga Republic Day� on 21st March, 2004 in Bangkok, the capital of Thailand by twisting the Naga history when the actual date of such historic occasion should be on 22nd March.

The NNC reminded that the �Naga Republic Day was declared on 22nd March, 1956� with the legal constitution framed by the Naga people and therefore, the Naga Republic Day should be celebrated on this day, the 22nd March every year.

Condemning the changing of Naga political history and right by the NSCN (IM), the NNC informed that the Federal Government of Nagaland (FGN) might have failed or not but the �political rights and history of the Nagas stand forever and this should be respected and defended by the Naga people at any cost.� Therefore, the NSCN (IM) had no �right to change the political history of the Nagas,� it pointed out.

The NNC also said some vested interests were trying to celebrate late AZ Phizo�s birth centenary on 16th May, 2004 which was the �Naga Plebiscite Day, the most political significance day for the Nagas.� But late Phizo�s date of birth was 4th May, 1904, the outfit disclosed and further asked those vested individuals not to indulge in misleading the �Naga people.� �This is not the time to celebrate birth days but to fight for the Naga sovereignty and also not the time to claim such big title of �Father of the Nation� at this stage of the Naga struggle,� the NNC explained.

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