Staff Reporter
DIMAPUR, FEBRUARY 26
EVEN as the Nagaland government continues to maintain its silence over the accusations by Karbi Anglong based organizations of alleged land encroachment along the border areas of Daldali and Rangapahar Reserve Forest, the indefinite road blockade on NH 39 and 36 entered the second day on Wednesday with no signs of any respite soon.
As was the case yesterday, almost all Nagaland vehicles stayed off the two highways on Wednesday. Volunteers, mostly from Karbi Students’ Association, All Dimasa Students’ Union of Karbi Anglong, United Students’ Union of Karbi Anglong and Karbi Re-awakening Organization ensured that no Nagaland vehicles could pass through the two highways today.
Even ambulance(s), discovered to be carrying no patients, were sent on their way back by the volunteers on Wednesday. Highly reliable sources said that the protestors have no intention of lifting the blockade till the “Nagaland government initiates action against the encroachers.”
Despite the blockade on two highways entering Dimapur, prices of all essential commodities remained constant. “There are no fears of any price rise because we have enough stock for now”, said an official from the Dimapur Chamber of Commerce and Industries (DCCI).
Meanwhile, rumors were rift of Nagas from Dimapur rushing to the disputed area to claim/buy their plot of land. Reports said that any plot of land in the disputed area was available for as low as Rs 500. The presence of police and IRB personnel in the area, after the promulgation of 144 CrPC in the area, has resulted in a temporary halt to the rush of alleged land grabbing.
It is also being rumored that influential politicians, and retired government officials/bureaucrats, are taking lead in acquiring the land in the disputed area.
KAPF against blockades
Expressing regret over the border issue that cropped up between Nagaland and Assam along the Karbi Anglong side of the inter-state divide, the Karbi Anglong Peace Forum (KAPF) has appealed to all public and organisations to refrain from imposing bandhs or blockades in the interest of peace and harmony.
Deliberating on the issue at a meeting today, the Forum felt that both the states should respect their territorial integrity and the issue must be solved amicably between the two governments.
“The governments must take the steps to resolve the problem instead of civil bodies from both sides,” KAPF chairman Benting Teron and vice chairman Pankaj Teron said in a release.
Asserting that it is against any action that deprives any person or people of their human rights, the Peace Forum said any misunderstanding or disputes must be addressed through dialogues and mutual respect.
AAGSU not involved in blockade
The All Assam Gorkha Students Union (AAGSU) has clarified to Nagaland Gorkha Association (NGA) that it has no hand in the ongoing economic blockade imposed on Nagaland. It is the Karbi Anglong unit of Gorkha Students Union based in Karbi Anglong which is landing support to the blockade owing to local sentiments of the Karbi people and after being asked to do so, the NGA quoted the AAGSU as saying.
The AAGSU made the clarifications to the NGA at a meeting today. The NGA took up the issue of AAGSA landing support to the economic blockade with the latter’s executing members which included president Udoy Singh Limboo, information & publicity Secretary Nanda Dewan and advisor Ajay Subba at the meeting. At the meeting, the AAGSU leaders made it clear that they are in no way connected to the blockade.
The AAGSU is of the view that the common people should not be made to suffer in any way due to the failures of the state governments in settling issues between them.
While expressing regret that the people of Nagaland might have a wrong impression of AAGSU, the leaders hoped that the people of both sides will solve all their differences in an amicable way without inconveniencing all the people on both sides.
