Denies charge of “vandalizing public property or criminal trespass by unknown miscreants”
Dimapur, May 28: The Naga Club on Sunday claimed responsibility for the demolition of the office building of Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) in the heart of Kohima town on May 27 morning but denied the charge of “vandalizing public property or criminal trespass by unknown miscreants” as alleged by the students’ body.
“The question of vandalizing public property or criminal trespass by unknown miscreants as alleged by the NSF does not arise. …It is stated that the undersigned are not miscreants, but bona fide owner of the land and building. Rather, it is NSF that is in unlawful and forced occupation of the Naga Club Building since the eviction notice was issued”, said Naga Club President, Kuolachalie Seyie and Secretary K Gwanilo Himb, in a letter to the Officer-In-Charge of North Police Station, Kohima, where the NSF had filed an FIR against the vandalization of its office.
In the letter the Naga Club said it had entrusted some youths to dispose the debris of the already demolished building (demolished some 3 weeks back) in the early hours of May 27.
“However, since the place is in the middle of the town and heavy machinery/vehicle is required to dispose the debris it was decided that in order to avoid public inconvenience the same shall be removed in the early hours of 27-05-2023. It may be noted that the vacation notice was also served to the remaining shops and establishments, besides informing them the same in person, but they did not vacate the building. Some of them requested for extension of time to vacate the building which the Naga Club agreed. However, despite the lapse of the extended time the building was not vacated”, it claimed.
The Naga Club stated that apart from disposing the debris of the already demolished building, it entrusted the youths to demolish “those shops and establishments” which did not vacate the building despite eviction notice being served upon them on May 27 morning, so that the debris shall be removed on the same day without creating public inconvenience.
“Therefore, the question of vandalizing public property or criminal trespass by unknown miscreants as alleged by the NSF does not arise”, it said.
The Club stated that the land on which the NSF Office is established, along with some other adjacent buildings where other shops/offices/printing press were established, was given to the Naga Club by Kohima Village. The Naga Club was established in the year 1918.
The Club informed that following a letter by the then NSF president in 1983 requesting the utilization of the Naga Club building as their office, it was agreed that NSF shall be tenant of the Naga Club Building for a monthly rent of Rs.500. It claimed that except for the first month (i.e. April 1983) no proper rent was paid by NSF to the Naga Club thus far.
“It may be noted that during the life time of Shri. Vilavor Liegise, the General Secretary, Naga Club, whenever demand for rent was made a mere Rs.50/- & Rs.100/- were paid citing that they don’t have money. Despite that the Naga Club continued to keep the NSF as tenants for about 40 years thus far”, it said.
The Naga Club also cited other instances like NSF refusing to meet Naga Club officials, celebration of Naga Club centenary, serving of vacation notice to NSF, etc. to justify its action.
Stating that the Naga Club building was built with the purpose to unite Nagas without borders by providing free accommodation and facilities to Nagas coming from the remotest regions of the Naga inhabited areas so as to get to know each other better and to cooperate as brothers and sisters, the Naga Club alleged that “the noble objective of our forefathers is completely distorted by the NSF by converting the Naga Club building and plot into a commercial establishment and by collecting rents from various tenants behind the back of the Naga Club”.
“As such Kohima Village Council, the traditional land owners who donated the plot came heavily on them that no one shall distort the Naga Club history vide Letter dated 11-02-2023”, it stated.
Alleging that the FIR filed by the NSF on May 27 is “malicious, baseless, misconceived and misleading”, the Naga Club said the present issue between the NSF and Naga Club is a civil issue competent to be tried and decided by a Civil Court having jurisdiction.
“Further, the dispute is regarding immoveable property as such filing of FIR for offences under IPC is misconceived as the said statute is ill-equipped for deciding such cases”, it said while requesting the Office-In-Charge of North PS to not take cognizance of the case in order to allow the matter to be resolved in an appropriate court of law or before an appropriate forum.
(Page News Service)
