Lotha Students’ Union defends Patton’s role in border issue

DIMAPUR — The Lotha Students' Union (LSU) has issued a clarification on remarks made regarding Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Home and Border Affairs Yanthungo Patton in connection with the Nagaland-Assam border tension in the Ralan area.

In the statement, the LSU said that certain critical views regarding Patton’s handling of the ongoing Nagaland-Assam border tension in the Ralan area are erroneous and highlighted that the deputy chief minister had indeed visited the affected area twice, accompanied by MLA Achumbemo Kikon, MLA Y Mhombemo Humtsoe, district administration, and the police department.

During these visits, the union said, interaction sessions were conducted to address public grievances, which the LSU office had attended, and went on to claim that the president, along with officials of the LSU accompanied and witnessed his visits to the DAB areas on many occasions.

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The LSU also pointed out that after a visit by the deputy chief minister, a company of NAP (IR) was deployed in the Ralan area. Since then, Patton has been coordinating with various authorities, including CSOs, village councils, district administration, border magistrate, and the police department.

The union also mentioned the joint coordination meeting with the Minister of Forest and Environment, Assam, during which he successfully appealed for the dismantling of stone pillars and fencing, as well as the halting of the plantation drive, which was complied with by the Assam Forest department.

While appreciating the efforts and contributions of the media fraternity over this issue, the LSU said it was at the same time disappointed with statements made without proper facts and verification, which may be provoking and misleading.

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The union said that it may also be noted that on August 21, a local TV news reporter stated that Patton and state government officials had not visited the affected areas. This unfounded report deeply disappointed and provoked the minister, leading to the remarks made on August 23.

“The LSU wishes to clarify that the unfortunate incident of August 23 should not be construed as an attack on the media in general but rather as an expression of frustration over misinformation propagated by a particular individual,” it maintained, adding that slandering the deputy chief minister's efforts and integrity is defamatory in nature and will not be tolerated.

It further said that the LSU acknowledges the deputy chief minister's meritorious efforts in safeguarding Naga ancestral land and urged him and the Government of Nagaland to assess and address the issue in the best interest of the state.