Our Reporter
Dimapur, Nov. 14 (EMN): Member of the Lok Sabha from Nagaland Tokheho Yepthomi has urged the people to unite to work collectively, and to ‘mend ways’ toward changing the individual self to ‘save Nagaland’ from the chaos and trauma the state is experiencing.
The member of Parliament was addressing people who were gathered for the silver jubilee celebrations of the Sumi community at Naharbari village.
The programme was conducted in the community chairman’s house, on November 14 at Naharbari in Dimapur.
Yepthomi expressed optimism that the new era would now open new hope and bring in a fresh beginning to ‘strengthen the aims and objectives of the community.’
Emphasising on moral values and Christian ethics, Yepthomi, in the spirit of the auspicious day, appealed to the community to forgive each other’s past wrongs and urged them to start loving each other, because they will always live together through the good and bad times.
The former minister cited an example that ‘many of us, as Christians, do not know or seek God nor follow his teachings and principles unless when we are caught in sickness or get into a trouble.’
‘We live the life we want and destroy ourselves with all the worldly pleasures,’ Yepthomi said. He exhorted the people to find God and his love instead of the world and its worldly bliss.
In the modern times where society has come to have bizarre lifestyles, he lamented, many people think and live life like they will live forever. To which, he strongly urged the people to refrain from such kind of beliefs and thoughts. That very mentality will only destroy one’s moral values and his relationship with the society, Yepthomi said.
The Lok Sabha member said also that Nagaland and its people are truly blessed by the grace and love of God. Nagaland does not suffer natural calamities in comparison to other states in India where people out there suffer every day of their life due to such situations, he said.
Citing examples of New Delhi’s air pollution which has become a major threat to citizens living in the country’s capital, he maintained that Nagaland need not worry about all such threats ‘because we are blessed with rich environment to support life.’
Further, talking about the water crisis in India, Yepthomi said, ‘We need not to be bothered or worried by it because we have plentiful reserves of ground water in Nagaland, compared to other state, where researchers have already predicted a total of 19 major Indian cities will be without groundwater by the year 2022.’
The Lok Sabha member also talked about his 27 years of working as a public leader. He lamented that in Nagaland, there is no government property.
‘From districts to towns to villages, we have taken everything all for ourselves. We are forgetting that what the government’s is, is for the benefit of the public not individuals,’ Yepthomi said.
He cited Sikkim as an example. Although given the fact that they are few in number with population of approximately seven lac people, they are one of the most promising and fast-developing states in India because of their hard work and honest lifestyle.
He wondered why Nagaland cannot be the same in establishing a stable and progressive society. ‘Why can’t we start doing what is right and stop doing what is wrong?’ he queried.
The chairman of the community, Phoishe Zhimomi, also spoke at the event. He gave the welcome address. In his speech, the community leader thanked every community-loving individual and organisation for making the jubilee celebrations a grand success.
Zhimomi mentioned that the actual date for the Jubilee was September 4 but it was postponed to the current date. He said that the jubilee celebrations on November 14 were based on the agreement and decision of the area’s community leadership and not just by some officials in this regard.
Traditional Sumi war dance and folk music performances marked the event.
Founding members of the council were honoured during the programme for their service to the community. Certificates were also given to students who achieved excellence in their academics during the high school and higher secondary school examinations in 2019.
Tokheho Yepthomi also unveiled the Naharbari Sumi community’s silver jubilee souvenir book to mark the event.
