Union govt panel offers autonomous council for Nagaland’s eastern districts

Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO), which represents seven Naga tribes, has been demanding a separate Frontier Nagaland state since 2010

A committee of the Union government has offered an autonomous council for six eastern districts of poll-bound Nagaland after two-day talks with Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO), a local daily has reported.

ENPO arrived at an agreement over regional autonomy during two-day talks with the Union home ministry’s panel in Guwahati. (HT PHOTO)

ENPO, which represents seven Naga tribes of the districts of Mon, Tuensang, Kiphire, Longleng, Noklak, and Shamator, has been demanding a separate Frontier Nagaland state since 2010 over alleged discrimination.

It  is now expected to review its stand on boycotting the February 27 assembly polls. The six districts have 20 assembly seats. The deadline for filing nominations for the polls ends on February 7.

People aware of the matter said the ENPO arrived at an agreement over regional autonomy during the two-day talks with the Union home ministry’s committee that concluded on Tuesday in Assam’s Guwahati. The ministry’s advisor (northeast) AK Mishra heads the panel.

“The Centre’s offer is for an autonomous council with [a] possible legislature and the new proposed body could be called the ‘Frontier Nagaland Autonomous Council’,” the local Nagaland Page daily reported.

The demand for Frontier Nagaland state gained momentum last year. ENPO threatened to boycott elections if the Union government failed to address it.