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MHA team likely to visit Nagaland to study separate statehood demand
Officials said the committee is scheduled to hold meetings with the ENPO, tribal leaders, civil society organisations, senior citizens, district administration and state government officials
A three-member committee from the Union ministry of home affairs (MHA) has been assigned to fly to Nagaland and study over the next few days the demand raised by the Eastern Nagaland People’s Organization (ENPO) for a separate state, people familiar with the matter said.
The committee is led by MHA advisor and Centre’s emissary on Naga peace talks AK Mishra, and includes joint director (Intelligence Bureau) Dr Mandeep Singh Tull and director of MHA’s north east division AK Dhyani.
Officials said the committee is scheduled to hold meetings with the ENPO, tribal leaders, civil society organisations, senior citizens, district administration and state government officials over a period of three days from December 16-18 at the Tuensang district headquarters; the ENPO’s headquarter is also in Tuensang.
The MHA committee is also expected to visit the ITC, DAN Pangsha, located along the Indo-Myanmar border.
The ENPO, which represents seven tribes of six eastern districts in Nagaland — Mon, Tuensang, Kiphire, Longleng, Noklak and Shamator, has been demanding a separate ‘Frontier Nagaland’ state since 2010 over alleged issues of development or lack thereof.
Also Read:ENPO delegation from Nagaland meets Union home minister Amit Shah
The organisation has submitted several representations to the Centre on different occasions. Their demands gathered momentum after the ENPO threatened to abstain from participating in any election process should the central government fail to address its requests. The state assembly elections are due early next year.
A team of ENPO leaders met Union home minister Amit Shah on December 6 to discuss the matter.
“The home minister stated that the grievances and request for separate entity is understood,” ENPO had said in a statement after the meeting. The group also informed that Shah highlighted “a clear road-map for amicable, legislative and sustainable solution for Eastern Nagaland”, which will include consultation with the people of Eastern Nagaland and the state government.
Shah, they claim, even assured to visit Eastern Nagaland by January 2023.
