TAMENGLONG, Dec 16: Volunteers of All Naga Students’ Association, Manipur (ANSAM) and Zeliangrong Youth Front (ZYF) today marched along the Tamenglong streets carrying the effigy of chief minister O Ibobi Singh as part of its move to boycott the State Level Orange Festival to be held on December 17 and 18.
However, it was not known whether the effigy was set on fire or not.
“Nagas are not against the spirit of festival which promotes reconciliation and harmony and goodwill among the people. But when the government of Manipur sponsored festivals are used as platforms to dilute and negate the very political position of the Nagas and undermine our rights, we have no other option but to boycott it,” the ANSAM and ZYF said today in Tamenglong through a joint press communique.
“The reason why we are here today is to clearly deliver the message that State sponsored festival such as the Orange Festival seeks to present the fallacious picture of a responsible State Government promoting horticulture and social harmony in the state. When in reality it has consistently deprived the Naga people of real development benefits through diversion and corruption and created irreparable rifts between the communities through its communal policies and actions,” the ANSAM and the ZYF communique added.
“The proven mission of Mr. Ibobi, the other ministers of government of Manipur and MLAs of the ruling Government and also the unmandated ADCs has been to oppose the demand for an alternative arrangement for the Nagas in Manipur pending settlement of the Indo-Naga issue and for derailing the much awaited settlement of the Indo-Naga issue through their machination,” it alleged.
ANSAM and ZYF then appealed to all Nagas to stay away from the Orange Festival scheduled to be held here at Tamenglong “so that the political position of severance of ties with the government is maintained in pursuance of our inherent and democratic aspirations”.
Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/protest-rally-against-orange-festival/
