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Centre proposes autonomous council in east Nagaland amid demand for separate state
The central government has proposed autonomous territorial powers for six eastern districts of Nagaland to be governed by the Eastern Nagaland Peoples Organization.
The central government has proposed autonomous territorial powers for six eastern districts of Nagaland to be governed by the Eastern Nagaland Peoples Organization (ENPO) to resolve an ongoing demand for a separate state, people familiar with the matter said.
The Centre has proposed creation of a territorial council called Frontier Naga Territory, consisting of 49 constituencies with 40 elected members and nine nominees, ENPO office bearers said on condition of anonymity.
The ENPO, which represents seven Naga tribes of six eastern districts of Mon, Tuensang, Kiphire, Longleng, Noklak and Shamator, has been demanding a separate Frontier Nagaland state since 2010 over alleged issues of discrimination, particularly on development.
The demand gained momentum last year and the organisation threatened to boycott electoral processes should the central government fail to address its demand. The government has responded by proposing the autonomous body. The region currently has 20 assembly seats out of a total of 60 in Nagaland.
HT reached out to the Union home ministry for a response but did not get one immediately.
With both the ENPO and the Centre’s negotiating team from the home ministry arriving at a compromise on the issue, the organisation called off its decision to boycott the February assembly polls. Subsequently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah had during the election campaign assured to resolve the matter after the polls.
“The proposed autonomy would include legislative, executive and financial powers,” an ENPO leader aware of the development said. Following its meeting with the home ministry team led by advisor AK Mishra earlier this month, ENPO reportedly briefed its constituent units as well as the 20-member Eastern Nagaland Legislators Union about the Centre’s draft proposal.
Meanwhile, the state government, led by chief minister Neiphiu Rio, has called for a consultative meeting of major stakeholders on June 30 to discuss the Centre’s proposal. Different Naga tribal bodies, top government officials and legislators have been invited to participate in the meeting.
