Kohima, Aug. 24: Several Angami Naga organisations have condemned the claim made by Manipur Students’ Federation that Dzukou Valley belongs to Manipur.

Reacting to a statement made by the MSF general secretary, Thokchom Bomcha, over a question in the UPSC preliminary examination recently, the Angami organisations reiterated that “Dzükou Valley belongs to the southern Angamis of Nagaland and there has never been any doubt or dispute over it”.

The organisations described the MSF claim as “irrational and misleading”.

A statement signed jointly by the Southern Angami Public Organisation (Sapo) president, Pheluphwe Kirha, Southern Angami Students’ Union president Pueyo Lcho, Sapo Core Committee Dzukou, secretary Kezhokhoto Savi and Southern Angami Youth Organisation president Sulvi Angami today made it clear that the people of southern Angami would never recognise any boundary, drawn arbitrarily by the British imperialists for administrative convenience.

The signatories claimed the word “Dzükou” was derived from the Angami dialect and it itself was enough to “prove our authentic ownership”.

Taking serious exception to a question on Dzuko Valley that figured in this year’s UPSC civil services examination, volunteers of Manipuri Students’ Federation (MSF) had on Tuesday seized copies of a career guidance magazine for publishing the “controversial question”.

A question in the geography paper of the UPSC preliminary examination had asked candidates to match four valleys with the states. In the list, Dzukou Valley was given to match with Nagaland but Manipur was missing.

Pratiyogita Darpan, a competitive examination booklet, had published the UPSC question in its August issue. In an ultimatum served on Wednesday, the MSF asked the UPSC to clarify its stand within seven days or be ready to face the consequences.

Dzuko Valley has been a bone of contention between Manipur and neighbouring Nagaland. Both states stake claim to the valley.