Nagaland: ENSF begins indefinite agitation over NSSB; Patton says SC won’t allow 52% job reservation

Our Correspondent
Kohima, Nov. 30 (EMN): The indefinite agitation called by Eastern Naga Students’ Federation (ENSF) in the five eastern districts of Nagaland began on Monday.

Speaking to Eastern Mirror, ENSF president, Sepili L Sangtam said that ‘the agitation is going on successfully’.

He reiterated that federation’s decision to boycott Statehood Day and Hornbill Festival; locking of government offices and restricting the movement of government-registered vehicles in the eastern districts stands.

The ongoing agitation is against, what the ENSF claims to be,  the state government’s non-fulfilment of demands submitted by the federation in connection with the Nagaland Staff Selection Board (NSSB) and non-implementation of personnel and administrative reforms by the Nagaland Public Service Commission.

The Naga Students’ Federation and the Angami Students’ Union have opposed the ENSF’s demand for 45% job reservation under NSSB.

Sangtam, however, refused to comment on the opposition from other student organisations.

“On that issue we have no comment. The federation is dealing with the government; so as of now, the ENSF has no comment regarding that,” he said.

On Monday, the ENSF directed its federating units to ‘boycott the 58th Statehood Day celebration and restrict all related activities by not allowing to hoist flag in eastern Nagaland and also to boycott the virtual Hornbill Festival celebration’.

It also directed the people from the region to refrain from participating in any governmental activities.

Supreme Court will never allow — Patton 

Deputy Chief Minister, Y Patton, who is heading the cabinet sub-committee on the issue, said that they would be discussing the issue on December 3.

However, he admitted that it would be difficult to offer “45% backward quota because the total would then come to 52%, including other tribes”.

“The Supreme Court will never allow that because there is a court order (which does not allow) more than 50% reservation,” said Patton.