October 26: The Confederation of Nagaland Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CNCCI) has questioned the authority of the Federal Republic Government of Nagaland (FRGN) to direct shops across the state to remain closed on Sundays and call for non-Naga business establishments to shut down their operations, demanding immediate intervention and clarification from the State Government.
In a press release, the CNCCI expressed deep concern over the directive, asking who governs Nagaland, the elected State Government or the FRGN.The trade body maintained that while the sanctity of Sunday worship and church service hours must be respected, religious observance should be balanced with practical business considerations. It said ensuring employees receive one day of rest each week should not be confused with imposing a blanket ban on Sunday trading.
The CNCCI also cautioned against decisions driven by emotional and moral policing, stating that business-related matters should be addressed through practical considerations rather than blanket restrictions.Reiterating its commitment to promoting Naga entrepreneurship under its guiding principle, “Naga First,” the CNCCI said supporting Naga businesses cannot mean excluding other communities from lawful economic participation.It noted that several non Naga business owners had already shut down their establishments and relocated, while asserting that the organisation would continue to support Naga enterprises and oppose coercion, discrimination and attempts to undermine the rights of legitimate businesses.
Highlighting the economic implications of the directive, the CNCCI said Naga entrepreneurs had expanded their businesses beyond Nagaland over the past decade, supplying goods and services across India and to international markets. It argued that economic progress depends on enterprise, innovation and wider commercial engagement rather than isolation.The organisation warned that directives compelling businesses to shut down on ethnic grounds could weaken investor confidence, create unnecessary communal tension and undermine Nagaland’s economic aspirations.
It stressed that no economy could thrive in isolation in an interconnected global market requiring investment, technology, expertise and access to wider markets.The CNCCI further reminded the FRGN that the Naga public had mandated the Naga national movement to pursue the Naga political issue, urging it to remain focused on its core political objectives rather than diverting its resources and energy towards matters beyond its mandate.Calling the matter serious and threatening to the business community, the CNCCI demanded that the State Government immediately investigate what it described as a self-styled diktat and initiate stringent action in accordance with the law against those responsible.
It also called on the government to publicly clarify the directive’s legal standing and assure the business community that the elected State Government remains in charge of administering the state.While stating that it did not wish to inconvenience the public during the ongoing festive season, the CNCCI warned that failure to take immediate and decisive action would compel it to take its own course of action.
