DIMAPUR, Feb 24 - Nagaland Chief Minister TR Zeliang has urged the Naga Students Federation (NSF) to review its decision to impose bandh on movement of all �Meitei/Manipuri owned vehicles� in Naga-inhabited areas from 6 am on February 27 if the Manipur Government failed to comply with its demands on or before February 26 midnight.
In a letter to NSF president Subenthung, the Chief Minister expressed concern over the reported highhandedness of some Manipur police personnel on NSF leaders on February 14.
While stating that he was aware of the NSF ultimatum served on Manipur Government, Zeliang made known that the Nagaland Government had already taken up the matter with its Manipur counterpart.
He felt that it would be appropriate to await for response from the Manipur Government before resorting to any form of agitation. Drawing the attention of the NSF, Zeliang said such bandh would result in communal tension and misunderstanding.
�To my mind, such a bandh would have adverse effect on the normal lives of the common people and also badly affect the supply of essential commodities in Manipur. It will also affect parts of Nagaland�, he stated.
He pointed out that Nagas, at the moment, were in the threshhold of a new political era. For this, goodwill, support and understanding of all our neighbours are needed, we are destined to live together for generations to come, he added. The proposed bandh would only create animosity in the minds of the affected neighbours, and could hamper the hard earned peace and harmony in the region, he said.
Zeliang appealed to the NSF to reconsider their decision to ban Manipur-registered vehicles in Naga areas, and instead resort to other peaceful and democratic means to achieve their goals.
