CM urges youths to work against ‘tags’

[caption id="attachment_107443" align="aligncenter" width="565"] Konyak tribesmen beating a log drum during the Aoleang Monyu festival, the premier festival of the Konyak community, in Mon.[/caption]   Dimapur, April 5 (EMN): Chief Minister Dr. Shurhozelie Liezietsu on Tuesday emphasised upon the Konyaks the need to remove the ‘backward’ tag and move forward with the rest of the tribes. The chief minister called upon the younger generation to work in a way that the ‘backwardness’ tag is removed and let the Naga people move forward as one family. Attending Aoleang Monyu festival, the premier festival of the Konyak Nagas, as the chief guest in Mon, the chief minister said that the Nagas should live as one family. Updates from the Chief Minister’s Office about the event were received here on Wednesday. There should not be backward or forward tribe, the press release stated, as labelling with the tag ‘backward’ will affect the psychological feelings of dependency among the people. Referring to the recent issue about the urban local body elections, the chief minister appreciated the Konyak people for their cooperation with the government, though the polls were nullified. However, Dr. Shurhozelie Liezietsu said that the government was ‘seriously working ways and means on how best it can be compensated and the future course of action be decided. He urged those who participated to have patience.’ The chief minister also announced that during the current financial year, the state government will ‘take up’ the Mon-Namtola road; the state government has also declared the road as a national highway. Dr. Shurhozelie Liezietsu also said that several roads will be connected the national highway. However, the chief minister rued that despite the government spending huge amounts of money, ‘workmanship could not be satisfactory.’ Therefore, he called upon that the public leaders to supervise the contractors for better quality development and see that the money is used judiciously. Speaking on the Aoleang festival, the chief minister said that this is the time to invoke God’s blessing for health of the people and for the crops. It is a time to visit one another, to feast with friends, kinsmen and family members; it is also a time to make friends with one another, therefore, the chief minister said that he had come to strengthen the bonds of friendship with the Konyak people. Dr. Shurhozelie Liezietsu also maintained that many ethnic groups around the world have lost their identity and even their language; however, it is encouraging to see the Nagas still preserving it. Earlier, inaugurating the Konyak Union’s office building, the chief minister said that the Konyak Nagas, being one the biggest tribes among Naga tribes, should work for the unity of the people. He said that the Nagas were scattered to other parts of the country as well as to other country (Myanmar) by the British. However, he said ‘we need to integrate all the Nagas living outside the state through democratically means and that we need to maintain good relationship with our neighbours,’ the updates from the Chief Minister’s Office added.