Kohima: Demand for a separate ‘Frontier Nagaland’ state by the Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation (ENPO) continued for the second day on Saturday in the ongoing Budget Session of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly.
After completion of Questions, Laying of Administrative Reports, Discussion on the Supplementary Demands for Grants for the year 2011-2012, Nagaland Assembly Speaker Kiyanilie Peseyie called for the Discussion on Matters of Urgent Public Importance for short duration under Rule-50, where the issue of ENPO demand was discussed.
Initiating the discussion, Congress MLA Lampha described the negligence to the ENPO-dominated four districts of Nagaland with Mon, Longleng, Kiphire and Tuensang.
He said the entire area was being neglected by the successive Governments of the state, and it was for the first time the issue had been raised in the Nagaland Legislative Assembly.
Congress MLA Kongam said there will be problem if the ‘Frontier Nagaland’ was granted.
He assured that the people of ‘Frontier Nagaland’ would remain as Nagas with full cooperation of the Nagaland Government.
Another Congress MLA S K Sangtam warned the Government that so far the movement had been only on papers, if it will turn to a mass movement, it will go beyond the control of the Government.
He asked all the 20 elected members and officiating bureaucrats of ENPO areas should sit together to deliberate on the issues of grievances of the people.
Taking part in the discussion in the floor of the House, Nagaland Home Minister Imkong L Imchen admitted the negligence to the ENPO areas for years, but the present DAN Government had taken up various developmental programmes, including the offer of Nagaland Cabinet of Ministers for Autonomy to the area. But, without discussing on the proposed Autonomy, the ENPO rejected it. He suggested the ENPO to review the offered autonomy properly.(UNI)