CM accused of making contradictory statement on draft proposal
TUENSANG, FEBRUARY 27 (MExN): The controversy, and confusion, surrounding a purported draft proposal from the Government of India (GoI) vis-à-vis the proposed Frontier Naga Territory (FNT) got deeper. Contrary to what the Chief Minister claimed on February 26, the Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO) hinted at the state government reportedly withholding the draft from reaching the former.
The controversy dates to a February 14 Joint Co-ordination Meeting of the Eastern Nagaland Legislators’ Union (ENLU), ENPO and Frontal Organisations from Eastern Nagaland, which was convened by Eastern Nagaland Gazetted Officers' Association (ENGOA) in Dimapur. Following the meeting, the ENLU and ENPO came out with conflicting statements on the latter’s stand on the draft proposal, outlining the contents of a Memorandum of Settlement (MoS), from the GoI.
The ENLU Secretary told the media on February 14 that the frontal organisations of Eastern Nagaland, including the ENPO, rejected the draft. The next day, the ENPO dismissed the ENLU statement, maintaining that it did not comment on the draft nor reject it, at the meeting, since it was yet to get a copy from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), officially.
On February 26, the CM told the media that the draft proposal was handed to him by Home Minister Amit Shah for discussing the contents of the draft with the elected Members and ENPO.
However, on February 27, the ENPO issued a press statement dismissing the CM’s statement. As per the ENPO, at the February 14 meeting, it was told of “a warning” not to show or share the draft with the ENPO. It did not specify who or from where the warning originated, but the ENPO held that the purported warning was contrary to what the CM claimed in his February 26 comment to the media.
At the February 14 joint coordination meeting, the ENPO said that it stood by the assurance given by MHA on December 7, 2023, and that, “Until and unless we receive official copy from MHA as assured, we can neither reject nor accept the draft MoS brought by ENLU — which was agreed by the house not to discuss in the meeting.”
According to the ENPO, it met the Union Home Minister, Amit Shah on December 7, 2023, wherein Shah assured of the MHA’s commitment to establishing the proposed FNT before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. It said that Shah further told the ENPO delegation that the draft proposal will also be handed over to the Nagaland Chief Minister to get the State Government’s view, following which the MHA will hand it over to the ENPO. This was to be followed by the MHA inviting the state government and the ENPO, before December 25, for fixing a date for the signing of the MoS before the Election Model Code of Conduct took effect.
While accusing the CM of creating confusion and misunderstanding, the ENPO said that there was official communication from the MHA that the draft proposal will reach them through the state government.
Contrary to what the CM said, the ENPO reiterated that it was only waiting for the draft as assured by the HM on December 27, 2023.
The ENPO further said that it settled for the proposed Frontier Naga Territory under Nagaland State as opposed to the earlier demand for a separate state after appeals from the GoI, state government and Naga tribal bodies.
It said that the ENPO does not perceive any division in the event of the FNT taking shape. “Rather, the people of the region would progress socially and economically, and become equal contributors to the prosperity of our state and pursue all common issues jointly,” it said.
