The Business Association of Nagas (BAN) has sought exemption of pharmaceutical shops, restaurants, eateries, bakeries from the ban imposed by the NSCN (I-M) on Sundays.
In a release on Tuesday, the BAN said travellers coming to and going out of Dimapur have been facing great difficulty owing to the Sunday closure.
While the closure imposed on all shops on Sunday could have been a spiritual approach with Nagaland being a Christian state, the association, however, said exemption of pharmaceutical shops, restaurants, eateries, bakeries must be humanely considered.
Earlier, the Naga Council Dimapur also appealed to the NSCN (I-M) to consider lifting its ban on markets on Sundays in and around Dimapur.
In a release issued by its vice-president (administration) K. Ghokheto Chophy on Monday, the council urged the outfit to lift the ban, especially on perishable commodities like meat, fish and vegetables in the interest of general public.
The council said the complete ban imposed on Sunday markets in and around Dimapur by the NSCN (I-M) based on its national principle of “Nagaland for Christ” had affected the people of Dimapur district.
As other district headquarters and towns in the state are free of such diktats, the council felt the targeting of only the commercial centre of the state appeared unreasonable.
The Nagaland Hotels and Restaurant Association had also appealed to the NSCN (I-M) to review the blanket ban on closure of all shops on Sundays.