Kohima: Nagaland is on high alert to prevent a law and order situation from developing in the state due to the ongoing ethnic violence in neighboring Manipur, Director General of Police Rupin Sharma said on Tuesday.
The violence in Manipur has been going on for over two months, and there are concerns that it could spill over into Nagaland.
“We don’t want what happened in Manipur to happen in Nagaland. So far, we are likely the only state in the region that did not witness repercussions of the crisis,” Sharma said on the sidelines of a media workshop organised by the Press Information Bureau in Kohima.
When violence broke out in Manipur, he said that the state police had apprehensions of a similar situation in Nagaland. However, the state has remained peaceful.
The top cop was addressing a one-day media workshop on the achievements of the government of India in the last nine years as chief guest.
During the workshop which was attended by media representatives from across the state, Sharma urged journalists and media houses to be honest and fearless in reporting news.
Media, he said, plays a vital role in society by spreading awareness about government schemes and policies. He also cautioned the media against spreading harmful or misleading information.
He cited how conscious and sensible reporting on the Manipur crisis has also averted confusion and prevented law and order situation in the state.
He urged mediapersons and publishers to be honest, fearless, and unbiased.
As opposition to the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) is gaining a gradual momentum in the state, Sharma urged the people not to form opinion on it as it is “too premature to comment”.
Despite opposition on UCC from several corners of the state, the DGP said that contents of the UCC are unclear as a draft is yet to be disclosed. He expressed concern that such an opposition had the potential to disturb the peaceful situation in Nagaland.
Sharma shared his view that unlike the customary that which are unwritten, a uniform law could bring to place a particular system as “laws are neutral”.
He urged the people to have trust in the government, saying that the state government will take a correct stand on the UCC when a draft is made.
The General Secretary of Kohima Press Club, Atono Tsukru Kense, thanked the Press Information Bureau for organizing the workshop and said that it would be a valuable platform for media persons to learn about the government’s initiatives.
The Guest of Honour, General Secretary K. Elu Nadang, expressed his appreciation for the government’s pro-people policies. He said that the government has implemented a number of schemes that have directly benefited the people.
However, he urged the Centre to resolve the Naga political issue and to reconsider the decision on the UCC, which he observed, may not be suitable to the Nagas.
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On the Manipur crisis, he said that it was disheartening to see the neighbouring state in distress. He shared the view that the Centre, the state government and Nagas to also work out ways to assist in restoring peace in Manipur.
Later during the technical session, resource persons from different government departments gave presentations on the various schemes and policies that have been implemented in the state.
Also Read | Nagaland: Now, Naga Hoho opposes imposition of Uniform Civil Code