Kohima: Nagaland government, on Tuesday called off the crucial consultative meeting which was scheduled on June 30 to discuss the proposal for the creation of an autonomous council for the six eastern districts of the state.
“The Consultative Meeting in regard to the proposed proposal for constitution of an Autonomous Council for the 6 (six) eastern districts of the State, namely, Tuensang. Mon, Longleng, Kiphire, Shamator and Noklak, scheduled on 30th June 2023 (Friday) at 01:30 PM at the State Banquet Hall, Kohima, hereby stands postponed due to unavoidable reasons till further notice,” a notice issued by home commissioner Abhibjit Sinha said.
Ahead of the cancellation of the meeting, through a statement earlier on Tuesday, the Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO) said that the present situation is as much of a test as it is a significant responsibility to pursue development and advancement to prove that, given the opportunity, the eastern districts can do it.
The apex organization of the seven tribal communities of six eastern districts of Nagaland said that it had been pursuing the demand for a separate state for over a decade based on various reasons including historical backgrounds and socio-economic backwardness, and so on.
A memorandum to the Government of India was submitted on November 25 demanding a separate statehood, and formal talks were initiated in the year 2015. Despite several rounds of talks, with the participation of both the Government of India through the MHA and the State Government of Nagaland, the issue remained unresolved.
The ENPO met Union Home Minister Amit Shah on December 6 following which a series of meetings were held with the officers of the Ministry of Home Affairs involving the State Government.
It said that the Centre offered ENPO the formation of Frontier Naga Territory (FNT) with legislative, executive, administration, and financial autonomy, where the performance of the proposed set-up shall be reviewed after a period of 10 years to assess its efficacy to fulfill the aspirations of the people of the Eastern Nagaland Region.
Considering the sentiments of the fellow Nagas towards unity and togetherness, the ENPO said that it accepted the proposal without insisting on dividing the state.
“It may be stated that the State Govt. in its wisdom and farsightedness took paramount importance of the movement and in its report to the Govt. of India in 2011 had recommended formation of an Autonomous Council/Authority vide No.CON-1/G/44/2011, Dated Kohima, the 27th July, 2011, but it was not agreed, and subsequently rejected by the people of Eastern Nagaland,” it revealed
