Kohima: Two Dimapur organizations are hitting back after NSCN (I-M) leaders targeted veteran Naga politician Dr. S.C. Jamir. The Ao Senso Telongjem Dimapur (ASTD) and the Dimapur Ao Youth Organization (DAYO) issued a sharp rebuke following comments from V.S. Atem and R.H. Raising. The NSCN (I-M) leaders recently labeled the former Nagaland Chief Minister as out and out Indian, claiming he lacks the right to speak on Naga affairs.
The organizations called those remarks deeply unsettling. They argue that one person or group cannot monopolize the conversation. The ASTD and DAYO stated, "a Naga's right to speak cannot be dictated by an organisation."
Jamir served as a Parliamentary Secretary at the Centre under Jawaharlal Nehru, a state Governor, and the Chief Minister of Nagaland. Critics may challenge his political record or his interpretation of history. However, these groups insist that disagreement does not strip a man of his voice. They maintain that ideological differences should be settled through public discourse and historical evidence, not by questioning a leader's identity.
The joint statement demands an end to the gatekeeping of Naga political views. These groups warn that personal attacks and questions of identity only deepen existing divisions. They argue that the Naga political journey belongs to generations of citizens, not just one armed group or political faction. The organizations appealed to all Naga political groups to exercise restraint and dignity, asserting that the public is capable of examining views for themselves.
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