Irked by the lack of response from the state minister of power to its demands, the Naga Students\u2019 Federation (NSF) Friday intensified its agitation by resorting to pelting stones at the office of the chief engineer (power), AG colony Kohima.\nAround 200 odd NSF volunteers gathered at the CE\u2019s office premises on the third day of the federation\u2019s demonstration against \u201cbackdoor appointments\u201d in the power department, shouting slogans like \u201cWe want justice\u201d, \u201cDon\u2019t be scared to stand up for our rights\u201d etc. Police personnel deployed at the office premises had to call reinforcement as the crowd got heated up in view that neither the department\u2019s minister or commissioner and secretary had responded to their demand.
\nIrate student volunteers began pelting stones at the office building at around 11 a.m., but were shortly calmed down by leaders of the federation. Although few window panes of the office were broken in the process, no major damage had been reported.
\nIt was learnt that minister for power Y. Doshehe Sema, who is out of station and reported to reach Kohima on Thursday, will be arriving the state capital on Friday only.
\nCommissioner & secretary for power department L. Kire turned up at the CE\u2019s office in the afternoon and held a meeting with NSF officials and leaders of federating units. Kire assured them that the government would be doing whatever was required to deliver justice.
\nDuring the meeting, the commissioner & secretary expressed regret that things could not progress even after preliminary meeting between the NSF and officials of CE (power) due to lack of authority from the latter\u2019s office.
\nWhile admitting that there had been \u201csome perceived delay\u201d on the part of the government, Kire however assured the NSF that authorization of posts to the NPSC for requisition was in progress. He also pointed out that only the minister who is in-charge of the department had the legal authority to issue the \u201cfinal authorization\u201d on the matter.
\nFurther, Kire stated that once posts which were supposed to go to the NPSC were formalized, service rules would be implemented strictly both \u201cin letter and in spirit\u201d.
\nExpressing his inability to give any written word without the minister, Kire said he would arrange a meeting for the minister and NSF leaders by Saturday. He asserted that written assurance by himself and the minister would be provided to the NSF, and urged the student leaders to reason with the volunteers not to resort to damaging public property. Kire also informed that the state chief minister Neiphiu Rio expressed deep concern over the issue and had conveyed that the issue should be resolved immediately.
\nMeanwhile, acknowledging the commissioner & secretary\u2019s verbal assurance, NSF president Kelhouneizo Yhome reiterated that the NSF wanted a written assurance from the minister that the issue would be redressed. He explained that the federation started its picketing of the CE\u2019s office with \u201cgood intention\u201d, adding though after two days of peaceful demonstration, students got agitated as there had been no response from the government. While assuring the commissioner & secretary that NSF leaders would try to control the volunteers as they waited for the minister\u2019s response, he said things could go \u201cfrom bad to worse\u201d if the issue was not solved immediately.
\nStudent leaders said Friday\u2019s incident was a display of disappointment by students over the responsible authority\u2019s ignorant attitude towards their demand. They said the NSF raised the issue backed with \u201chard facts\u201d and expressed displeasure that the \u201cconcerned authority\u201d did not have the \u201ccourtesy\u201d to acknowledge their genuine demand.
\nMeanwhile, it was informed that NSF would suspend its agitation for the next two days given that Saturday and Sunday are holidays. However, NSF officials said they would resume the stir on Monday if there were no developments on the issue.<\/p>\n
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