Kohima, Oct. 10: The Naga Hoho today hailed the Nagaland Assembly’s September 18 notification facilitating affiliation of schools in the Naga-inhabited areas of other states to the Nagaland Board of School Education. The apex organisation of the Nagas also criticised the Khaplang faction of the NSCN for its opposition to the notification.

Lauding the Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) government for taking such a step, the president of the Hoho, Bengdangmayang Jamir, and its vice-president Keviletuo Kiewhuo said the state government enjoyed the people’s mandate and had acted in deference to the wishes of the Naga civil society.

Expressing regret over the NSCN (K)’s tirade against some Naga leaders, the Hoho termed the notification a landmark decision endorsed by various political parties and leaders. “Therefore, the question of calling education minister Imkong L. Imchen, chief minister Neiphiu Rio and leader of the Opposition I. Imkong anti-national, as alleged by the NSCN (K), does not arise,” the leaders said.

They voiced concern over “Naga leaders being penalised for misdemeanours that may or may not have been committed by them”.

They said the Hoho “could meet the steering committee of the Isak-Muivah faction of the NSCN and all the other contending parties to seek justice in the interest of all peace-loving citizens in the state”.

The Hoho said it would meet the highest policy making body of the NSCN (I-M) to persuade it to withdraw the diktat barring former chief minister S.C. Jamir’s entry into Nagaland. The NSCN (I-M) asserted that Jamir’s “all-out efforts” to crush the Naga national resistance movement was a “national crime of the highest order”. The organisation will urge the outfit to withdraw its statement branding agriculture production commissioner Alemtemshi Jamir as “anti-people and anti-national”.