Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio has protested against the auction of the skull of a Naga (indigenous people of Nagaland) in Britain. The proposed auction has been described as an insult to humanity and an incredible form of institutional violence. He has written a letter to India's Foreign Minister S Jaishankar demanding intervention in this matter.
According to information received, the 19th century Horned Serpent skull was offered for street auction on October 9 by the prestigious auction house 'The Swan at Tatesworth'. Whose estimated price is 3500 to 4500 pounds i.e. Rs 494634. However, controversy over this auction led to the skull being removed from the auction items. According to an English newspaper, the Chief Minister of Nagaland had told through the 'Forum for Naga Reconciliation' that the auction has been viewed negatively by all sections of Nagaland.
This is a very emotional and sacred issue for the people of Nagaland. He wrote in the letter that the remains of any dead person belong to his people and his land. Apart from this, auctioning of human remains hurts people's sentiments. Rio's Foreign Ministry appealed that this issue should also be raised with the Indian High Commission in Britain. The Museum of Oxford has a collection of about 6500 objects related to the Naga community.
Which were collected during the expansion and colonial rule of the British Empire. These objects include many human remains that have been stored for more than a century. Naga Reconciliation Forum has played a very important role in this process which started from 2020. The human remains of Naga ancestors are an emotive primary issue for the forum.