Naga Students on Good Terms With AASU

Student Unions to meet today

Kohima, Sep 24 : The Naga Students’ Federation which is mediating with AASU said the Assam students’ union had given positive indication to end the indefinite economic blockade on Nagaland which entered its sixth day today.

“We have received a positive response from AASU. I hope they will end the blockade soon,” the president of the NSF, Mutsikoyo Chakhesang, said, adding they were in constant touch with AASU leaders over phone.

A team led by Chakhesang will arrive in Assam late tonight or tomorrow to meet AASU members.

“We will meet AASU officials either in Guwahati or somewhere in Golaghat,” the NSF president said.

The state government and the Naga Hoho said they had entrusted the NSF to act as a go-between AASU and the Nagaland government.

“If we meet and discuss the matter, they would definitely lift the blockade,” Chakhesang said.

The Nagaland government has already announced Rs 5 lakh as financial assistance and relief to the 42 student volunteers of AASU who suffered various degrees of injuries at the hands of 12 IRB Battalion on September 15 in Golaghat.

The money will be handed over to the deputy commissioner Golaghat by his Dimapur counterpart.

The Nagaland government today suspended assistant commandant of B company of India Reserve Battalion with immediate effect. Inspector-general of police, S.T. Sangtam, the public relations officer of police headquarters, said I. Kakuto Sumi, had been suspended as he was unable to control his unruly personnel on September 15 and also to facilitate impartial investigation.

According to Sangtam, AASU is expected to lift the economic blockade.

He said the suspension letter had been handed over to NSF officials for tomorrow’s meeting.

Chief minister Neiphiu Rio and home minister Imk-ong L. Imchen have requested the NSF which has a cordial relationship with AASU to intervene and talk to its leadership directly and pursue it to lift the blockade.

Yesterday, a goodwill team of top Nagaland officials met members of AASU and requested them to lift the blockade.

Prices of essentials are slowly rising here though the district administration said there was nothing to panic and warned the traders against creating artificial scarcity of essential commodities.

Tomato which was Rs 40 a kg is now being sold at Rs 60. Potato is selling at Rs 20 a kg and onion Rs 35 a kg.

Kohima has run out of stock of pork, poultry, mutton and fish.

Taking advantage of the economic blockade, local vendors are selling chicken, fish and pork, whatever little is available, at exorbitant rates.