Nagaland cabinet to appeal to ENPO to reconsider demand for separate state

The Nagaland cabinet decided to appeal to the Eastern Nagaland People's Organisation (ENPO) to reconsider their demand for a separate state and not to boycott the assembly elections.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the state cabinet on Tuesday, said Parliamentary Affairs Minister Neiba Kronu.

"While extending our solidarity to the ENPO people, the state cabinet decided to appeal to them to reconsider their demand in the greater interest of the Naga people," he said.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will be visiting Nagaland on Friday, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit the state after January 10, and only after that something is likely to be decided on the demand, the minister said.

Asked if the cabinet has decided on any package for the ENPO areas, he said the discussions between the Centre and ENPO have to be made known to the state government and only after that, some decision can be taken by it.

United Democratic Alliance (UDA) co-chairman Kuzholuzo Nienu said, "ENPO's demand is a very important issue. Nevertheless, for the UDA government, the Naga Political Issue is still our priority and we have decided to appeal to the Centre to expedite a solution to it."

The cabinet has recommended an autonomous council which has been rejected by the ENPO, he said.

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) also ruled out a separate state to be carved out of Nagaland during a recent visit of its team to the state, Nienu said.

"ENPO is looking for development and financial assistance and the state government is fully ready for it," he said.

Expressing the demand to be genuine, Nienu said that it should not be at the cost of further dividing the Nagas.

ENPO has been demanding a separate state of Frontier Nagaland since 2010, claiming that the four districts in eastern Nagaland have been neglected for years. The six tribes that are part of the ENPO boycotted the Hornbill Festival in December and also announced that they would not participate in the state elections that would be due in February-March.