Senapati: The All Naga Students’ Association, Manipur (ANSAM) has accused the Manipur government of forcing the people to hoist the Indian national flag. “We will not allow any imposition of flag hoisting,” the ANSAM said in a statement tonight.

The Naga students’ body alleged that the “Government of Manipur’s repeated tyranny on the people and imposition of all sorts” are serious concerns. It also said that the blanket order to hoist Indian National Flag on August 15 circulated in various departments including the Education department “whereby directly and indirectly confronting the rights and sentiments of the Nagas and provoking us is condemned”.

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For the Nagas, according to the ANSAM, “we have been celebrating our Independence Day on August 14 since 1947 and we hope the Government of Manipur will take note of this history whereby a political negotiation has also been undergoing at the Prime Minister Level Indo-Naga peace talk as two entities”. The ANSAM added that such an order negates the spirit of the Framework Agreement and negotiation between the two entities.

The statement of the Naga students’ body then said, “Mention may be made that the notification of the Education department blanket compulsion to hoist Indian National Flag in all schools reminds us the government willfully denying us the quality education for decades since Independence”. The ANSAM also said that the recent expenditure statement of the allocated budget of four years reflects a mere 5.7% of the total proportion in the hills. “An insult such as this cannot be celebrated with hoisting of flag on Independence Day. Rather it amounts to rubbing salt in the wound,” the ANSAM further added.

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The statement of the ANSAM then said, “In order to avoid confrontation we are cautioning the departments especially the Education department to refrain from compelling people to hoist flag in our villages”.

NNN