NSF issues clarification on Naga Club building eviction order

Dimapur, July 24 (EMN): The Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) on Sunday issued a public statement on the “issue of dispute” with regard to the Naga Club building in Kohima and the eviction order issued to the federation to vacate the premises.

Clarifying on the allegations made by “some individuals who recently formed a Naga Club” that the NSF had not paid house rent since May 1983 till date, the federation questioned how it would pay rent to an organisation which was formed “only in 2017/2018?”

“The main allegation as per their ‘Notice to vacate’ says: ‘That your esteemed organisation has paid Rs 500/- (five hundred only), in rent for the month of April 1983 on 07.04.1983, after which you have never paid our Naga Club house rent from May 1983 till date’.

“It may be noted that in 1983 Late Vizolie Sorhie, the then President NSF and his General Secretary Eno. Imkong L Imchen among other officials, were approached by Naga Club office bearers and Naga Elders Conference to reclaim the Naga Club building which was then occupied by the Forest Department,” it read.

It stated that despite several attempts to reclaim the same, the department refused to hand over the building to the “rightful owner- the Naga Club”.

“Subsequently, NSF led by Late Vizolie Sorhie President NSF, Late Mechimvu Ritse Finance Secretary NSF, Eno. Neingulo Krome Member- Action Committee NSF and Eno. Kewezu G. Kenye President ANCSU went and broke the lock and occupied the Naga Club building. Following which, Mr. Neivor Rutsa volunteered his vehicle bearing Registration No. NLT-309 to assist in shifting NSF office to the Naga Club building.

“Even when the rent for the month of April 1983 was paid and received by the General Secretary of the then Naga Club, Late Vilavor Liegise, it was clearly mentioned as; ‘with the good consent of mutual understanding’, which was to facilitate and legitimise that ‘Naga Club’ was the owner of the same building which at that point in time was also being claimed by another group of individuals, in the name of another Naga Club, and the dispute matter was lying under the court of the Deputy Commissioner, Kohima, for hearing. And this receipt of Rs 500/- for the month of April 1983, paid by NSF became evident of proof and the court ruled in favour of the Naga Club, which was never ever contested again. Otherwise, there was ‘mutual understanding’ that the building will always belong to Naga Club and NSF will only be the guardian and custodian of the building according to demands of situations,” read the statement.

The building has since then been taken over by NSF (in April 1983), who has been repairing and renovating the building and its premises, including additional construction, it said.

Meanwhile, the NSF alleged that the Naga Club was “formed suddenly to hijack” the decision to celebrate ‘100 Years of Naga Club’ in 2018.

“This time around, as the NSF recently launched the celebration of its 75 Years of Existence, under the theme ‘Call to Oneness’ for all Nagas to come together, this same Naga Club is now issuing “Notice to vacate the Naga Club building in toto on or before the 27th of August 2022”, in the middle of our 75 years celebration, which is turning our ‘celebration’ into ‘nightmare’.

“The present incumbent who also has only occupied the office of the NSF from our predecessors and will be passing our responsibilities onto upcoming leaders have nothing to gain or to lose from such disputes, but history will be unkind if we are to let ‘greed and falsehood triumph’ knowingly, without any prejudice to anyone,” it read.