High-level MHA team had ruled out ENPO’s Frontier Nagaland: Azo Neinu

Nagaland Cabinet has urged the ENPO to review its demand for separate statehood in the interest of all the Nagas

Co-chairman of the opposition-less UDA in Nagaland Azo Neinu said on Tuesday that the high-level Ministry of Home Affairs team that visited Nagaland recently had ruled out the creation of a separate Frontier Nagaland as demanded by the Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO).

Speaking to media persons after the meeting of the Nagaland Cabinet held today, Azo Nienu who is also leader of NPF Legislature Party disclosed that during the MHA team’s visit to Eastern Nagaland they have ruled out the demand of the ENPO for a separate statehood ‘Frontier Nagaland’ and subsequently in today’s Cabinet, the Cabinet has appealed the ENPO to review their demand for separate statehood in the interest of all the Nagas as a whole.

A team of the MHA led by AK Mishra had visited Nagaland in mid-December last year and held discussions with stakeholders regarding ENPO’s Frontier Nagaland demand.

He further said that the Nagaland Cabinet has never recommended for a separate state and till date it stands by that because on 23rd July 2011 the Cabinet has stood by the integration of all the contiguous state and subsequently 4 resolutions were passed in the Assembly adding that the Nagaland Assembly had never adopted any resolution on Frontier Nagaland but had recommended Autonomous Council which the ENPO had rejected it and so the matter ended there.

Neinu was of the view that since the main intention of the ENPO is for development and financial assistance, he said their genuine demands such as development, funding should be looked into but not at the cost of dividing the Nagas. He also stated that whatever the MHA recommends for the ENPO, the State government will also stand by it.

With regard to the 2023 elections, Neinu observed that the Legislators will not abstain or boycott the elections since it is a constitutional provision and a democratic process. Once election is announced all political parties will have no option but to participate in election.

“We will start the campaign, we are waiting for the election commission to announce the dates and we are mentally prepared now”, added Neinu.

Meanwhile, sources have also informed that the ENPO delegation will be meeting the MHA team in Guwahati on 5 January. This will be the third meeting being held between the MHA team and ENPO. The ENPO delegation will be arriving in Guwahati on 4 January.

Neinu asserted that the Indo Naga political issue remains the top priority for the State government and therefore, the Cabinet in today’s meeting have once again appealed to the Centre to expedite the process of resolving the Naga political issue at the earliest.

Also Read: Frontier Nagaland Demand: ENPO firm on its resolve to boycott 2023 Assembly polls

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