Angami Students’ Union decides not to co-operate with NSF team over doctors’ superannuation age issue

Dimapur, April 13 (EMN): The Angami Students’ Union (ASU) has said that it won’t co-operate with the incumbent Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) team over the stand of the federation on medical doctors’ superannuation age issue.

Expressing displeasure over the “biased stand” of the NSF, the ASU said that the case of doctors’ superannuation age is unique as it was declared by the prime minister and approved by the cabinet, following which other states had implemented it.

It alleged that the union had requested the NSF to examine the issue by tabling it through the 2nd NSF Federal Assembly considering the shortage of doctors and also to help early commencement of the two medical colleges in the state but it instead took a biased decision while remaining silent on Naga doctors in other Naga-inhabited areas who are availing an enhanced superannuation age.

The ASU stated that it can’t remain an observer to NSF’s partial stand on superannuation age of doctors, as it has directly jeopardised medical practitioners of Nagaland.

“It is evident that the incumbent NSF team has lost sight to deliver justice to the Nagas and as such, we cannot afford to fare together under such shallow leadership. Therefore, in order to protect the rights and interest of Naga people, we shall not henceforth cooperate with the incumbent NSF team until such time the union retrieve its faith on the federation and the matter is widely put to rest,” it stated.

It also directed Angami leaders involving in NSF or its subordinate bodies to withdraw their support until further notice, and that it will be vigilant on their (NSF) functioning.

The union stated that it won’t not tolerate if the state government is dictated by any party that advocates unfair proposition. It also implored the government to resolve the superannuation age issue by April 17, as assured earlier, in order to avoid mass casual leave called by the Nagaland In-Service Doctors’ Association (NIDA).

It went on to say that it won’t remain silent if patients are victimised because of non availability of doctors in government hospitals during the three-day protest and that “the government along with the opposing parties will be held solely responsible for such casualties”.