Naga Mothers' Association
File photo of some members of the Naga Mothers' Assocition. Image credit - www.mastylecare.org

DIMAPUR: Echoing the Angami Public Organization (APO), the Chakhesang Public Organization (CPO) said the Naga Mothers Association (NMA) is an ‘un-mandated organization’.

The CPO urged the Nagaland Government to distance itself from the NMA so that it does not in any way represent the welfare and interest of ‘our sons and daughters’.

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“The deliberate attempt by certain NMA members to dilute the customary laws and traditions of our people and flagrant disregard shown to the popular sentiments of the Nagas is becoming almost intolerable to digest to the extent that a permanent and unhealthy wedge of suspicion and mistrust is being sown between the two genders of the society,” CPO president Vezuhu Keyho said in a letter to Nagaland chief secretary on April 7.

Also read: Naga Mothers’ Association slams women’s groups for tying rakhis on Assam Rifles personnel

In a similar letter to the state chief secretary earlier, the APO called the NLA ‘un-mandated’ and a ‘non-entry’ since its leaders no longer enjoyed the support of the Naga women tribal bodies.

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The NMA insisted on 33 per cent reservation for women in all towns and municipal councils in Nagaland.

The State Election Commission on March 9 announced elections to the urban local bodies to be held on May 16.

Even though the Nagaland government in a notification on March 30, following pressure from Naga tribal organizations and civil society groups, cancelled the elections to the civic bodies, the Supreme Court on April 5 stayed the state government notification and directed that the poll schedule will not be disturbed now and the election process be completed in terms of the schedule.

The APO said the situation in Nagaland is volatile and highly charged due to the controversy over the urban body elections.

The APO stressed that any individual, group or organization that is not mandated by the people has no business in tinkering and experimenting with the traditions and customary laws of ‘our people’.

“And as far as the customs and traditions of our people are concerned, and any desire or plans to make changes to them are concerned, neither the NMA nor any un-mandated person has business in interfering with our customary laws and traditions,” the APO letter said.