Nagas are prepared to weed out all landless ‘troublemakers’: NNPGs

Kohima: The Working Committee (WC) of Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs) said that Nagas are prepared to join hands with the Northeast indigenous peoples to “weed out all illegal immigrants, the landless troublemakers for good”.

An official statement issued by the media cell of the organisation said that for centuries, the mutual respect and co-existence among Nagas, Dhimasas, Karbis, Kacharis and Ahoms have been healthy and positive, but with the unabated influx of illegal immigrants into Assam and Nagaland from Bangladesh, it said that the neighborhood and friendship is “put to test”.

“The need to strengthen age-old bond among indigenous peoples of NE India has become utmost necessity. We cannot be at loggerheads because of illegal immigrants,” it added.

This statement comes as a reaction to the incident that took place at Nagaland gate in Lahorijan on March 1 where hundreds of people blocked NH-39 to protest against the detention of over 60 people from Assam who tried to enter Dimapur without ‘proper documents’.

The NNPGs said that this incident is “a grim reminder that indigenous people in the NE are being pushed to the corner” and that appropriate response is required. It claimed that “there was not a single person who resembled a tribal” during the time of the incident and that it is “not a positive sign”. It added saying “Any issue between Nagas and Ahoms can be resolved amicably”.

“To our Assamese people, it is a red flag because the enemy is now outnumbering you and becoming aggressive. Nagas and indigenous Assamese must realise the danger of nursing poisonous reptiles in our kitchen,” the statement read.

It said that the WC, NNPGs, “will investigate, monitor and identify those ringleaders sitting in Dimapur and surrounding areas who are instigating their colleagues at Lahorijan area to oppose implementation of ILP in our land and that it “will not hesitate to shut down the business outlets of these members”.

“They will be thrown out of our land. This is to caution all non-tribal people in Nagaland that any opposition of ILP either in words or action shall be taken as an affront to Naga people’s aspiration and their long political struggle”, the statement added.

It revealed that it met Ahom revolutionary leaders, CSO leaders and have positively shared common concern, and that “Nagas are prepared to partner indigenous people in the region to weed out all illegal immigrants, the landless troublemakers for good”.

It also insisted the government of Nagaland and Assam to adopt a common position as the border area is swamped by illegal immigrants and that indigenous communities are becoming subservient to these “landless immigrants”. “Ancestral land and indigenous peoples interest must be safeguarded at all cost”, it concluded.