‘Festive season’ reason ridiculed
Dimapur, Dec. 17: The Nagaland Tribes Council and the Dimapur District Citizens Forum (DDCF) have denounced the Dimapur authorities’ use of force, using water cannons and even tear gas, on a peaceful demonstration. The two organizations issued separate press releases on Saturday, with a ridicule for the government’s reason–“festive season”–for using water cannons and firing tear gas:
“The Nagaland Tribes Council vehemently condemns the action of the Dimapur police where water cannon and tear gas were used on peaceful demonstrators in the rally called by the ACAUT. Such police action is highly uncalled for,” the NTC stated in its press release.
“It is the basic fundamental right under the Constitution of India for any group of people to assemble peacefully and express its rights and democratically protest. There was absolutely no need to use brutal forces to suppress innocent citizens who were voicing against corruption. Using of suppressive action upon peaceful protestors has created bad precedence.”
Calling the government’s use of force to suppress the voice of the people as ‘highly objectionable and condemnable by everyone,’ the NTC stated that imposing Section 144 CrPC by giving a flimsy excuse of saying it was a “festive season” was unbecoming when situation never warranted invoking such stringent law.
“ACAUT had clearly announced for the conduct of a peaceful rally not to disturb nor create any kind of violence. It should be the endeavor of the state government to institute enquiry into the alleged illegal operations and not resort to suppressing people’s freedom to express its resentment over corruption,” the NTC stated. “If the official representative of the people acts as anti-state and protect the culprits, where will the citizens turn to for justice and fair delivery?”
Dimapur District Citizens Forum
The Dimapur District Citizens Forum (DDCF) has also condemned the action of the police in using water cannons, tear gas, and even ‘lathi charge’ upon citizens of Dimapur who had gathered for a peaceful rally at the City Tower and Khermahal police point.
The DDCF’s president, Joseph Lemtur observed that of late, “the government has been following a procedure of using water cannons and tear gas, which is not the solution for any issue.”
“Citizens have the right to protest for any grievances peacefully and the government of the day should try to find an amicable way to deal with the peace loving citizens, who should not be treated as criminals,” the forum reminded.
The DDCF “demands a logical conclusion of the issue, which is connected with corruption.”
The rights of the citizens should not be “forcefully suppressed just to protect the interest of the few corruption individuals,” the citizens’ forum stated.
The DDCF has appreciated the ACAUT for unearthing a major scam which the forum stated was ‘overlooked by the state government for more than a decade.’
The forum has also requested the Dimapur police to ‘act with more responsibility and not to give unnecessary harassment to the citizens of Dimapur in future.’
