In a joint press conference held at Oakland Boutique this evening, a concerned student, Kepozo Kapuh, who has been spearheading protests against the delay in students’ scholarship disbursement, and the Combined Technical Association of Nagaland (CTAN) issued a strong ultimatum to the Government of Nagaland, demanding that all pending scholarships be released by November 14.

Kapuh alleged that the Department of Higher Education deliberately disbursed a small portion of the scholarship funds to “a few students” in order to disperse protesters who had gathered earlier in the day.

Kapuh said they want to make their message to the Department of Higher Education and also to the concerned minister.

“Our message to them: Nice play. Because you knew that our number was going to be large today. You knew that people were agitated. You knew that many people are going to show up in today’s protests. So in order to disperse our crowd, a small amount has been given to some few students,” he said.

He questioned the need to celebrate partial disbursement when, he said, students had suffered repeated delays year after year. “Instead we should be questioning why it is too late,” he said and added, “We should be saying expressing our disheartenment and discouragement towards our academics because of the byproduct of the actions of our leaders.”

Kapuh criticized government officials and politicians for their inefficiency and lack of punctuality. “We students are expected to be punctual, so why can’t we expect our leaders to release our scholarships on time? All of you get your salaries and quarters not for your comfort but to serve the people efficiently,” he asserted.

He said the students give time to the authorities to release the scholarships to all the beneficiaries by November 14 and if it is not done, then whatever action is taken from the student side, the government would be held responsible.

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He clarified that he was not doing this for a publicity stunt but for the students. He said, “Enough is enough, and this should not be repeated, that we are not happy with the delay, that it is nothing to celebrate about. The students are treated like this every year, every phase.”

Kapuh also appealed to the Higher Education Minister to take the issue seriously, stating, “You have good connections, even with the Home Minister, Shri Amit Shah. You cannot keep blaming the central government.” Other states are not protesting, so why only Nagaland? he further questioned.

He also questioned the Department for citing the JCC pen-down strike as an excuse, arguing that the issue of IAS induction had nothing to do with students.

He also criticized some civil society organizations (CSOs) and student unions for “acting like spokespersons of the department” and questioned their neutrality. Addressing students who had received their scholarships but stayed silent, Kapuh said, it was their choice but warned them that if this continues, the officials would take advantage of them as they have been taking advantage of them every year.

He said he does not have any personal grudges with them but is there because this is not right.

“Our leaders have already murdered democracy in our state with this opposition-less government. Think about it. The irony is that the students and the public have to play the role of opposition at this point,” he stated.

However, he said there are leaders and bureaucrats who are very honest, who have ethics, who have integrity.

CTAN Convenor, Meshenlo Kath echoed these sentiments, accusing the All Nagaland College Students’ Union (ANCSU) of failing to act independently. “ANCSU was meant to be a students’ voice, but after today’s press release, it seems more like a government’s dak runner,” he said. Kath demanded a written assurance instead of verbal promises from the authorities.

He said he was happy that Naga people now, the next election will have lots of problems.

He said people are not interested in false promises and the false agendas that they put forward where they keep fooling people. “Now, especially the youth, the upcoming generation, the Gen Z, they believe current issue-based,” he added.

Kath cited an example of where federations like NSF and other groups are all broken and broke apart, saying they became the puppets of the government.

He questioned ANCSU why to let some external force interfere in their organization. He added that they are not performing their duty.

He highlighted how he was given a show cause notice before when he spoke on issues regarding ANCSU.

He said all the different federating unions should come together and have a re-election.

“Till today the president has been elected unconstitutionally and their motto and motive should be for the welfare of the students and not to go and click pictures with the minister, whoever,” he further said.

A lot of talk had been going on about the NPF/NDPP merger, he said and appealed to the public not to elect them in the next election, saying they would fool the public again using “Naga solution”.

“We don’t know what is the content of the Naga solution. Please tell us what is the Naga solution. Don’t fool us. It is time we see development in the state. It’s time we should have good infrastructure and good hospitals. It’s time we should have good roads because we are the first state in the north-eastern states to get statehood. And development-wise, we are so, so much below,” he said adding this merger is to fool the people.

He said Nagaland is now in plutocracy – ruled by rich people – and has lost democracy.

On the long-delayed forest guard recruitment exam, he said the results were promised by September 30 as per an RTI reply, but “nothing has been released till now.” He cautioned that if the matter remains unresolved, the government may face protests even during the Hornbill Festival.

He appealed to the government to take necessary actions at the earliest.