DIMAPUR, JULY 12 : Villagers from 'United Village'- a newly formed village adjacent to Indisen and Aoyimkum Village today held a protest rally on the backdrop of the ongoing land claims going on at areas bordering Assam.
The protest was initially carried out near the Assam border but was later shifted to DC Court junction after the district administration tried to disperse the crowd.
The uproar of the angry villagers gathered at DC Court Junction almost turned violent when the protestors blocked the road and commuters were not allowed to pass.
The crowd, numbering to few hundred claiming ownership of the 'United Village' after series of arguments with the Dimapur district administration wanting to proceed to the site, later arrived at a mutual understanding to have a meeting with the DC of Dimapur and 10 of the village elders at 10 am.
The angry mass mostly men started blocking the roads from around 8 am which lasted for more than an hour creating commotion while most of the shops located near the area were shut down.
The members of the crowd angry with the administration for not being on their side asserted that they have the right to establish a settlement called ‘United village’, which the Assam Forest department claims to be part of Daldali Reserve Forest.
The Dimapur district administration stated that the preventive act of the police along with the administration today was to avoid clashes at the inter-state border.
According to the official, the crowd categorically told that the Nagaland state government is taking up the issue of land between Assam and Nagaland seriously.
The official also noted that the 1988 case of the Supreme Court filed by the Assam on the Assam-Nagaland border issue is at a critical juncture wherein hearings are on progress.
The hearings of the petitioner (Assam state government) as per the official is said to have concluded while the respondents (Nagaland state government and the Union government) is scheduled to take place during the beginning of August, 2016 with July 15 as the last date for submission of affidavits from the respondents.
As per the official the meeting held at DC's office sought a meeting with the state Home Minister soon on the matter.
It was also made known during the short meeting with the reporters that around 10 villagers from the Assam side are already existent at Daldali Reserve Forest. The protesters of 'United Village' on April 11, 2016 have also forwarded a representation addressed to Deputy Commissioner of Dimapur in regard of the newly formed village.
