Muted Republic Day Celebrations in Nagaland as People Shun Event

Kohima: The 70th Republic Day celebration remained a low-key affair in Nagaland amid a boycott call given by prominent organisations over the controversial Citizenship Bill.

The student community and the general public at large abstained from participating in the celebrations, which left the venues empty.

Naga student bodies and Yung Aung-led National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Khaplang) had urged the public

to stay away from the Republic Day celebrations.

The organisations claimed that the Bill, once passed by the Rajya Sabha, could hurt the interests of Nagaland. Besides, their boycott call was also to express solidarity with other northeastern states who have been protesting against the Bill.

Even the presence of government employees was sparse as the seating area marked for 'Administrative Heads of Departments' and 'Heads of Departments' at the main celebrations at Secretariat Plaza here remained vacant.

Unfurling the tricolour in the presence of Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, Governor P B Acharya said in order to safeguard the unique cultural traditions and customary practices of Nagas, special constitutional provisions under Article 371(A) were incorporated in the Constitution of India.

These special provisions, he said, not only safeguarded the rights of the people of Nagaland, but also gave an

opportunity for the people to grow and develop according to

their own merit.

Acharya said the state government was concerned with the issue of the Citizenship Amendment Bill which was recently passed by the Lok Sabha.

"We are of the unequivocal view that the Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2016 is not applicable to Nagaland and we

stand protected under the provisions of Article 371 (A) of Constitution of India and the Inner Line Permit (ILP) mechanism," he said.

The Governor appealed to the Centre to hold wider consultations with all northeastern states to ensure that the rights of the indigenous people were fully protected.

"We have also decided to refer the Citizenship Amendment Bill to the Standing Committee on Article 371 (A) under the Nagaland Legislative Assembly to examine the issues in its entirety," he added.

Maintaining that the top priority of the state government has been the final settlement of the Naga issue, Acharya said the government was committed to play the role of an "active facilitator" in the political negotiations between the Centre and Naga political groups.

He said with the concerted efforts of the tribal Hohos and their apex bodies, the church and civil society, different groups have now come together and this seems to be the most opportune time for the Naga political groups to resolve the seven decades old Naga political issue once and for all.

Altogether, 10 parade contingents and three bands took part in the Republic Day march past led by Deputy Commandant Denyong as parade commander and Assistant Commandant Lucy Yhome as second in-charge.

The celebration was marked by cultural presentations by tribal troupes and exhibition of different activities of the government departments.