Kohima: Several organizations here have condemned the raid conducted by Assam Rifles (AR) at the house of former footballer and president of Nagaland Football Coaches’ Association (NFCA) Roko Angami.
The Angami Youth Organisation (AYO), apex youth body of the Angami Naga tribe, condemned the “blatant and irresponsible action” of the Assam Rifles battalion who “broke into the private residence” of Roko during the wee hours of October 29.
“Through this act, their niche for troublemaking has yet again been displayed in full, and is left for the public to judge,” AYO president Kekhrie Pfukha and general secretary Petevituo Nakhro said.
The tribal youth body said Roko from Zhadima village is a “respected, honest and law-abiding member of the Angami community” who has represented the community and the Nagas as a professional footballer at international level.
“Besides promoting football, Mr. Roko has been actively serving the society through various capacities,” it said, further informing that Roko is the incumbent president of Northern Angami Youth Organisation (NAYO), and a former AYO Auditor General.
“This appalling act upon a leader of the community has no place in the present day and even controvert the much acclaimed slogan of the Assam Rifles – Friends of the hill people,” it said.
The association said it will not remain a mute spectator to the “insidious behavior of the paramilitary forces”. It said that the blatant actions of AR has only reminded the Nagas of the years of tortures, rapes and killings inflicted upon the Naga people by the Indian armed forces.
“This particular incident has only deepened the chasm of mistrust and animosity between the Naga people and the Indian armed forces,” it said.
Meanwhile, the Zhadima Village Council also condemned the “callous attitude and despicable action” of the AR who conducted the raid.
Besides being the president of NFCA and NAYO, the village council said Roko is also serving as the current Village Development Board (VDB) Secretary of Zhadima Village.
“This raid has not only created animosity between the Assam rifles and the Village Community but has set a bad precedence and a suspicious trend among the peace loving community,” it added.
The Northern Angami Youth and Sports Association ‘C’ (NAYSA-C) also condemned the raid at the house of a “sports icon”. Displeased by the act, it said that the AR should not become “Enemy of the hill people”.
Several other organisations also condemned the raid.
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