ENLU seeks handing over of draft proposal on Frontier Nagaland Territory to ENPO, not CM

DIMAPUR — Nine Konyak legislators have released a video in connection with demand for Frontier Nagaland Territory (FNT).

The video, featuring legislators P Paiwang Konyak, W Chingang Konyak, Wangpang Konyak, K Konngam Konyak, CL John, Y Mankhao Konyak, C Manpon Konyak, A Nyamnyei Konyak, and Naiba Konyak, was reportedly released on Sunday night.

In the video (in Konyak language), legislator CL John could be heard saying that the Eastern Nagaland Legislators’ Union (ENLU) met with the interlocutor, AK Mishra on March 18, during which they requested him to attach the draft proposal to the Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation (ENPO) instead of handing it over to the state chief minister.

However, they were informed that, according to the constitution, the letter could only be handed through the state CM. Efforts are underway to convince Mishra to deliver the draft proposal to the ENPO, he maintained.

Additionally, he mentioned that during the present Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit to eastern Nagaland in 2023, leaders of the region were briefed on sustainable development through the FNT.

He also highlighted a series of meetings being held in 2023 and 2024 to address the demands of eastern Nagaland and that the ENLU had unanimously rejected the draft proposal, which was presented during the joint coordination meeting on February 14, 2024.

Prior to the video released by the Konyak legislators, the Konyak Union had, on March 23, passed a resolution, stating that no one in the Konyak region should vote during the upcoming Lok Sabha election. They also resolved that government employees could go for election duty, but no ballot paper voting should be cast, no election campaign materials of any political party, including flags, pamphlets or banners should be displayed, and no participation as polling agents and counting agents.

It also cautioned that action would be taken against anyone found taking part in the voting process.

With ENLU members back in the state after a week-long camping in Delhi to meet central leaders regarding the FNT, the decision on whether the people in eastern Nagaland can participate in the upcoming election will depend on the outcome of an emergency public meeting convened by the ENPO on March 28, in Tuensang.

The proposed meeting is based on a decision made during a public meeting held on March 19, in Tuensang, where the ENPO was endorsed to convene another meeting with all 20 ENLU members within a week’s time in Tuensang.