Mokokchung: Using the platform of a cultural festival, Nagaland Home minister Imkong Imchen on Wednesday called upon people of the community to pray for healing of pains and grief suffered by the people in strife-torn Kokrajhar and some other districts in neighbouring Assam.
Inaugurating a two-day tribal festival-cum-youth expo here at local ground, the minister said "although we could not go there physically at this hour of their griefs, we as neighbour should pray for them and share their pains so that normalcy returns to those affected places in Assam.
Over 60 people died and thousands were rendered homeless in four districts of lower Assam in recent ethnic violence between Bodos and the minority community.
Imkong said the people of Mokokchung as next door neighbour to Assam should have a special concern for those who lost their near and dear ones and their homes.
Ao Nagas celebrate their traditional festival Tsungrem-mong with pomp and gaiety in the first week of August praying for bumper harvest in their jhum fields.
Besides being centrally organized at Mokokchung town by Ao Senden (tribal council) in association with the district administration, Tsungrem-mong is being celebrated in different Ao villages under Mokokchung district.
Evoking the spirit of the traditional festival and friendship, cultural troupes representing different Naga tribes participated in the event. Tug-of-war among school students and community feast added colour to the celebration. Many young entrepreneurs and self help groups, particularly women societies, took part in the expo displaying their products.
The home minister also handed over a cheque of Rs 50 lakh to Mokokchung Entrepreneurs Consortium as seed money for helping the prospective entrepreneurs through micro credits.
PTI
