KOHIMA, OCTOBER 11: A senior Lawmaker of the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) asked for a special session of Nagaland Legislative Assembly to deliberate on Frontier Nagaland state demand by Eastern Nagaland People’s Organization (ENPO).
Former Home Minister and NDPP Legislator, Imkong L Imchen suggested that a daylong special session of Assembly be summoned to deliberate on ENPO’s demand of Frontier Nagaland which has gained momentum in the last couple of years. He said the Assembly can pass a resolution on Frontier Nagaland demand during the special session.
“If it is already an internally settled matter between ENPO, ENLU and Chief Minister, then that is splendid. If not, I feel the necessity of having an emergency/special Assembly Session (maybe one day) to discuss on this pertinent issue and adopt Resolution to this affect”, a senior Naga politician said.
Imchen said the 20 Legislators from ENPO area are already party to the decision of the ENPO to boycott the forthcoming Assembly Election and therefore, according to him, they cannot betray their own people by participating in the forthcoming election because so far none of the 20 legislators have ever differed with the decision of the ENPO till today. “Therefore I don’t think they can surreptitiously participate in the election but stand firmly with their own decision to boycott the election”, he observed.
He went on to say, “n my understanding, it is not a thing to wish away and go ahead with the election without the participation of the 20 Assembly set in the House of 60.”
Otherwise, he said, if the election is forcefully conducted under the given situation they will be carrying the present problem to the new House i.e. 14th House which will be unbecoming and irresponsible on the part of the incompetent members.
The Naga leader said the State Government is not a legally sou moto institution but it is a part and partial of the competency of the Government of India and they function as a government under the advice and guidance of the Union Government. “The issue at hand may not be necessarily to be handled by the State Government nor the State Government is legally competent to take such decisions for granting of Statehood or whatever”, Imchen said.
“Under the given stated position, I as a Member of the present house, feel duty bound and obligated that this ENPO issue of demand for Statehood should be discussed in the People’s Elected Representative House and should not pass into the New House without collective obligations of mind of the incompetent House”, the former Home Minister said.
The State Government had rejected ENPO’s demand for Frontier Nagaland and had offered autonomous council which was rejected by the ENPO. But observing the political scenario in the region the Centre is very unlikely to accept ENPO’s demand.
Granting statehood to ENPO would not only undermine and sabotage the current Naga peace process but it will stir a hornet nest in the region where several ethnic groups and militants have been demanding from statehood to Union Territory and greater autonomy, a senior politician said.
(Page News Service)
