Aboi District Demand Committee serves ultimatum to Nagaland government

Our Correspondent
Kohima, Jan. 15 (EMN): The Aboi District Demand Committee (ADDC) on Saturday organised a public rally demanding the government of Nagaland to declare Aboi a full-fledged district on or before January 23.

Speaking to Eastern Mirror on Saturday evening, the Convenor of ADDC, Manpon Changkap, said that the rally was “within the people”, however, the committee had sought the attention and ‘requested the apex Konyak Union (KU) to get the confirmation from the government by January 20’.

‘The ultimatum is very much genuine, and we are looking forward to the government to give us a very positive response at the earliest because our initiative started way back in 2008 and our subject matter was discussed over the Cabinet in 2011,’ said the convenor.

Pointing out the lapse over the years, Changkap said, “However, in spite of all the efforts and the support and the feasibility of the land, the land of Konyak is being deprived of the establishment of another district. With the progress of so many other delimitations and the freezing of the other administrative headquarters, the government has been stone cold to us, for which we are not very happy.”

However, he expressed optimism that the government would listen to the demand and ‘grant the genuine demand before January 23’.

He added that the district demand committee was also optimistic of the request made to the Konyak Union for confirmation by January 20 and the ultimatum submitted to the government to form a committee; ‘and if not, take over the matter with a positive response at the earliest possible’.

Changkap further said that the public was ‘very upright’ about the genuine district demand.

Meanwhile, the ADDC had served an ultimatum to the chief minister of Nagaland through the Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC), Aboi, demanding the Government to declare Aboi into a full-fledged district on or before January 23, 2022.

“Failing which, the ADDC shall take up its own course of action, henceforth, the concerned authority may take the matter into serious consideration,” it added.

The ultimatum addressed to the government was jointly served by the ADDC Convenor; president of KU Aboi Unit, Y Pangao Konyak; president KU Chen Unit, Pangyao Konyak; and president of KU Longchang Unit, N Chaohong Konyak.

Maintaining that the demand for Aboi district had been turned down till date, it requested the state government to acknowledge the sentiments and resentment of the people of Aboi.

The genesis of developmental ideas for demand and upgrading Aboi ADC HQ to district HQ was initiated officially in 2008 and was subsequently included in the Cabinet Memo of 2011.

“It may be appropriate to state that the present government is very much well aware of our demand and doesn’t require more details and references. And hopefully the government is also aware of the fact that the apex body, Konyak Union, Mon, had issued a representation to the state Cabinet on July 19, 2021, demanding the creation of district status, bifurcating Mon district, and which had first granted NOC to the ADDC on July 21, 2008,” read the letter of the ADDC.

It asked the government of Nagaland on what grounds its demand had been denied despite fulfilling the criteria for a full-fledged district.

Further, the committee expressed shock and sadness over the declaration of three new districts on December 18, 2021 by the state government when the ‘whole Konyaks were mourning and seeking justice for the victims of Mon killing incident.

“The government has added salt to the wounds by the declaration of other districts in the midst of our sorrowful period and also by back dropping our demand,” read the letter.

The ADDC went on to state that its demand had always been democratic but had reached its ‘elastic limit’ and the public had turned impatient towards the ‘stone-deaf attitude of the government’.

It further stated that “the response/retaliation of the citizens may be undemocratic and ultimately the government shall be held responsible for its consequences”.