On the eve of the visit of union minister of road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari who is scheduled to attend a programme on the birth centenary celebration of Rani Gaindinliu in Peren, Nagaland Tribes Council (NTC) reiterated that some few Naga villages which fought against the British were for self defence but not for “Indian nationhood”.
NTC media cell said, presently some among Nagas were projecting Gaidinliu as though she joined Indian national movement to become a freedom fighter. It asserted that this was a complete misnomer bereft of political and historical validity in the context of Naga political history.
NTC cited accounts of Gaidinliu’s fight against the Naga national movement and killing of several NNC cadres and so those eulogising her were hurting the sentiments of the kith and kin of the murdered victims.
Drawing attention to the pleas of relatives of nine NNC victims against idolising Gaidinliu , NTC said the proposed erection of the foundation stone for a Heraka hostel somewhere in Peren was like rubbing salt to injury.
NTC said instead of veneration of Gaidinliu, her nearest kith and kin tender an apology to the relatives of and descendants of victims in the interest of peaceful coexistence.
Citing Naga custom, Nagaland Tribes Council said in the past, anyone who intentionally or accidentally killed another was excommunicated for seven years and so there cannot be any exception with Gaidinliu and her followers. Therefore, it said veneration of Gaindinliu was no advisable in Nagaland as it would be against Naga custom and culture and would create bad precedence. NTC however said it had nothing to say nor interfere in veneration of Gaidinliu outside Nagaland.
NTC also stated, that Gaidinliu was from Manipur as claimed by Manipur chief minister Ibobi and had not contributed to Nagaland except being a liability during her time.
NTC said the evolution from Kampai to Heraka was nothing less than cultic and totally different from traditional animism. It said Heraka was alien and a threat to Christian culture and expressively closer with Hinduism.
Therefore, Nagaland Tribes Council urged the state government to realise the risk of promoting the memory of Gaidinliu anywhere in Nagaland so as to prevent communal tension in the state.