KOHIMA: The Naga Students’ Federation (NSF), the apex Naga student body, has expressed strong opposition to the recent instructions issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Government of India, for mandating that the “Indian national song, Vande Mataram, be played or sung before the national anthem, Jana Gana Mana, during specific high-level official functions and for imposing the same upon educational institutions”.
In a statement issued on Friday, the apex Naga student body said the directive, “which lays down a rigid sequence of precedence and crucially”, to schools, represents an imposition that fails to account for the historical, political and cultural realities of the Naga people. “While the NSF is aware of the constitutional framework of the Indian state, including Article 51A(a), we categorically assert that no authority can compel cultural or ideological conformity upon the Naga homeland in a manner that disregards our unique history and identity”, the NSF asserted.
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The Naga student body then said the specific instruction that the day’s work in all schools may begin with the community singing of Vande Mataram, coupled with directions to “popularize” the national song and anthem, is deeply concerning. It added that schools are institutions of learning and critical thought, not instruments for enforcing symbolic compliance.
The NSF hereby “strongly warns” that no such activities mandating the compulsory singing or playing of Vande Mataram before Jana Gana Mana shall take place in schools across the “Naga homeland”. The apex Naga student body also impressed upon the Nagaland Board of School Education (NBSE) to refrain from issuing any circulars, notifications or instructions enforcing this protocol within its jurisdiction. The NSF said the NBSE must uphold the sensitivities and rights of the Naga people and ensure that educational institutions are not subjected to directives that will create unrest or coercion among students.
The NSF then further cautioned school authorities and administrators against implementing these guidelines in letter or spirit without due consultation with stakeholders and an understanding of the ground realities. It added that such unilateral action in this regard will be viewed as a serious affront to the collective sentiments of the Naga students’ community.
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In this regard, all federating units and subordinate bodies of NSF are “hereby advised to exercise strict vigilance to ensure that such activities are not carried out in their respective jurisdiction”.
The NSF then called upon all responsible authorities to respect the distinct political and cultural rights of the “Naga homeland” and to refrain from imposing measures that undermine mutual respect and understanding.