The agitation initiated by the Combined Technical Association of Nagaland (CTAN) and Nagaland Net Qualified Forum (NNQF) on the issue of absorption of Assistant Professors under Higher Education Department reached the third day on April 21 as aspirants numbering thousands protested outside the Directorate of Higher Education demanding the revocation of regularization order.
It is to be mentioned that the counter protest staged under the Government’s direction on the same day was put on hold and only aspirants and agitated youths against the regularization were seen outside Directorate of Higher Education.
Various individuals and organisations came forward to express solidarity with the protestors. With their solidarity speeches during the protest.
“This is not just a protest. This is a call to conscience. If we fail now, we are writing the rules for future corruption, for a future where jobs will continue to be secretly handed out among a privileged few without the knowledge of the public and then regularised by arbitrary dispensations. Let us not stand silent when our future is being sold through windows, ceilings, and backdoors,” remarked Noyingbeni, Representative, Nagaland University Research Scholars Forum.
She also clarified that the protest is not a fight between the aspirants and contractual employees but a fight “between the people of Nagaland and a government that has chosen irresponsibility over integrity”.
Longtili Anar, President, Sangtam Students Union Kohima also backed the protestors by stating that no amount of justification can justify backdoor appointment. “We are against the system not the employees,” added Anar.
Kaqheto, Co Convenor CTAN also appealed for a peaceful agitation while directing the government that until the demand for revoking 2024 order has been addressed, aspirants, the unemployed Nagas and all the various organizations will not back down. “We are not demanding Government to do something impossible, we just demand the revocation of absorption,“ he added.
Robert N Solo, General Secretary, Kezekevi Thehou Ba, in his solidarity speech, acknowledged the movement initiated by the two organizations CTAN / NNQF extending support to them. Solo encouraged the aspirants not to give up fighting for their rights and urged that if they back off today it will be the biggest defeat. “The biggest defeat will be that of the truth. Truth is going to be the biggest casualty. We don’t want the truth to die. Stay firm, stay strong,” encouraged Solo.
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During the protest, the agitated protesters demanded for immediate resignation of Temjen Imna Along, Minister of Higher Education and Tourism. The protest which started from 8:30 am outside Civil Secretariat lasted till 9:30 pm. The protesters also demanded the Minister to address the gathering giving a dead line of 7pm failing which the agitation will march towards the Chief Minister’s residential complex. However, the situation was stopped by officials over security concerns.
Deputy Commissioner of Kohima, Henok Buchem also visited the protesters outside Directorate of Higher Education. While addressing the crowd , DC mentioned that the grievances of the protesters have been hear’ and that an amicable solution will be worked out soon. He also acknowledged the ethics of the protestors in holding a peaceful agitation.
A memorandum addressed to the CM was submitted through the DC. The memorandum appealed for the immediate revocation of the order (No. THE/HE/13-3/2020 (Pr.-) 104 dated 17” Dec. 2024) while also mentioning that Cabinet’s decision to form a committee for reviewing the 147 absorbed Assistant Professors and Librarians was unsatisfactory and insensitive given the ongoing protest. The members rejected the decision and highlighted that the agitation will continue until the cited order is revoked.
The NNQF and CTAN Informed that the protest will continue after the two day period and “response of the govt if any”.
