United in stand, divided by rallies

• CTAN-NNQF and NSF stage parallel rallies against cabinet decision in Kohima

CTAN and NNQF members during the protest outside the Higher Education office, Kohima, on Tuesday (EM Images)

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• KOHIMA — The Combined Technical Association of Nagaland- Nagaland NET Qualified Forum (CTAN-NNQF) and Naga Students' Federation (NSF) on Tuesday held parallel rallies in Kohima against the cabinet decision to absorb 147 assistant professors and librarians.
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• While the CTAN-NNQF protest remained peaceful, the NSF demonstrators had a short confrontation with police and district officials.
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• The CTAN and NNQF resumed their protest outside the Directorate of Higher Education, Kohima, after their demands were not met.

Also read: Combined Technical Association of Nagaland and Nagaland NET Qualified Forum halt agitation after minister's assurance

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• Started on April 16, the protest entered the fifth day on Tuesday. The CTAN and NNQF initially demanded for revocation of the government order that regularised 147 contractual assistant professors and librarians, and requisitioning of posts filled after June 6, 2016, to the Nagaland Public Service Commission (NPSC).
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• Now, they are also demanding the dissolution of the State Cabinet's HPC, which was formed to review the absorption of 147 posts.
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• However, their protests have been, by and large, peaceful.
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• NSF volunteers-police scuffle
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• The NSF also simultaneously launched its agitation on Tuesday after the expiry of their 7-day ultimatum to the government to revoke the cabinet order. The student protestors marched from the NSF Solidarity Park to the Higher Education office.
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• By afternoon, a brief confrontation occurred between the Naga Students' Federation, its federating units on one side and the police, along with district administration officials on the other.
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• The confrontation erupted when NSF protesters attempted to lock the entrance of the Higher Education directorate, clashing with police and administration officials.
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• In the melee, some police personnel were knocked to the ground.
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• Following the incident, the police installed barricades to restrict agitators from entering further.
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• Marking the conclusion of the day's protest, the NSF burned effigy of ‘Corruption’ and added they would continue the protest on Wednesday.

Scuffle between police personnel and NSF demonstrators outside the Higher Education office in Kohima (EM Images)

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• Violence never the solution —CTAN
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• Meanwhile, convenor of CTAN, Meshenlo Kath, told reporters that violence is never the solution. While the motive of CTAN-NNQF and the NSF is the same, the way of approach to their demands is different.
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• “Our protest will be peaceful because with violence, we won't get solution. In fact, we won't even get our demand also. So we want to be peaceful”, he asserted.
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• As law abiding citizens, nobody is above law, he went on to add.
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• He thanked the NSF for voicing against corruption.
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• Kath also maintained that the CTAN and NNQF are not demanding something which is difficult for the government and so the peaceful protest will continue till their demand is met.
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• Kath clarified that the NNQF came to CTAN with the issue and they took it up because they found it “illegal”.
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• Earlier, core member of NNQF, Videkhono, claimed that the Angami Students' Union had asked them not to put up banners to avoid misunderstanding.

The NSF protestors burn an effigy of ‘Corruption’ outside Higher Education office in Kohima on Tuesday (EM images)

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• She argued that they had already been protesting for four days with placards and banners, and questioned why they couldn't continue to do so. She also mentioned they had obtained permission from the deputy commissioner to hold the protest.
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• Since the organisations were all there for the same cause, she added that there should not be any problem with anyone putting up banners.