Naga CM, ENPO leaders to meet Amit Shah in Delhi over separate statehood demand

ENPO, which represents seven tribes of six eastern districts of Nagaland, has been demanding a separate “Frontier Nagaland” state since 2010 over alleged issues of development or lack thereof

Eastern Nagaland People’s Organization (ENPO) leaders on Saturday will meet Union home minister Amit Shah in New Delhi to discuss and press on their demand for a separate statehood, people familiar with the matter said.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah (HT Photo)

ENPO, which represents seven tribes of six eastern districts of Nagaland, has been demanding a separate “Frontier Nagaland” state since 2010 over alleged issues of development or lack thereof.

HT has learnt that Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio will be flying to Delhi on Saturday and will be joined by deputy chief minister Yanthungo Patton, who is already in the national capital with ENPO leaders. The meeting is scheduled to be held on Saturday evening, sources said.

The organization has submitted several representations to the Centre on different occasions regarding their demand. The demand recently gained momentum as the ENPO threatened to abstain from participating in any election process should the central government fail to address it’s demand. The state assembly elections are due early next year.

Earlier this year, the ENPO requested the Centre to respond to its public representation of October 2021 addressed to the Prime Minister wherein they stated that in the event of the anticipated Naga political solution, or the event of any unexpected delay in the talks, the PM is requested for creation of separate statehood for the people of Eastern Nagaland.

Meanwhile, in a separate issue, the ENPO has withdrawn its constituent units from participating in the ongoing Hornbill Festival citing grievances faced by their cultural troupes who travel a long way to Kohima to participate in the festival every year.

The festival, popularly known as the ‘Hornbill festival’, is annually held from December 1 to 10 to showcase the rich culture and traditions of the Naga tribes. This year, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar inaugurated the festival on Thursday evening amid colourful display of cultural fervor at the main festival site, the Naga Heritage Village Kisama, some 10 kilometres from the state capital Kohima. 18 different tribal morungs that adorn the Kisama hillock usually come alive with activities during the festival.

However, with the abstention of the ENPO tribes from participating in the festival, the traditional “morungs” (huts) of the seven constituent tribes- Konyak, Chang, Phom, Yimkhiung, Khiamniungan, Sangtam and Tikhir- remained deserted.