Nagaland’s Higher and Technical Education Minister, Temjen Imna Along, reassured the safety of Nagaland students studying at Kaziranga University in Jorhat following tensions stemming from remarks by a Naga student about the late Assamese singer Zubeen Garg. The incident unfolded on Saturday night, around 8:30 PM, and escalated until 2 AM, prompted by comments from a B.Tech student that allegedly offended local sentiments during a time of state mourning. This resulted in a mob expressing significant anger at the perceived insensitivity.
Along confirmed that the student involved has been relocated to a safe house, and the approximately 300 to 400 other Naga students at the university are unharmed. He expressed gratitude to the Assam government, local police, and Kaziranga University authorities for their prompt response and cooperation with officials from Nagaland.
“The situation is now normal. There were no major injuries or serious incidents apart from the mob’s anger,” the minister stated. He acknowledged the inappropriateness of the student’s comments, especially given the collective grief over Garg’s passing, and called for restraint among the Nagas in Assam and back home, particularly on social media.
“When one of our own makes such mistakes, whether intentionally or not, it’s vital to avoid comments made in anger or jest. Late Zubeen Garg holds a special place in the hearts of the people of Assam, and insensitivity in such contexts is unacceptable,” Along remarked.
Regarding potential disciplinary measures, he described the issue as sensitive but expressed hope that Kaziranga University will avoid harsh actions. He assured that the student would soon be reunited with his family, and assured the safety of the remaining Naga students.
Finally, Along appealed to the people of Assam, recognizing their anger while urging them to continue viewing the Nagas as “big brothers” and fostering goodwill between the communities.
