New Delhi: Eastern Nagaland People’s Organization (ENPO) has been demanding a separate state since 2010. It claims that six districts of eastern Nagaland have been neglected for years. The organization has announced boycott of the Lok Sabha elections to press for its demands. Officials said on Saturday that the Council of Ministers of the Nagaland government held a meeting with the members of the Eastern Nagaland Legislative Union (ENLU) and discussed the demands of ENPO and their ongoing agitation since March 8.
At the meeting, ENLU members informed the state cabinet about their recent visit to Delhi and the meeting with ENPO in Tuensang on Thursday. The issue of participation in parliamentary elections and ensuring representation of all voices within the political process was also discussed, a Nagaland government official told the media.
He said the Cabinet and ENLU members, after thorough deliberations, unanimously decided to make a sincere appeal to the ENPO not to stay away from the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, but to participate in the elections and fulfill their democratic duty for greater benefit. Was requested. The official said, it was further said in the meeting that once the new government is formed at the Centre, a favorable environment will be created for further talks on the demands of ENPO.
When the call was made to boycott the Lok Sabha elections
After holding a nine-hour closed-door coordination meeting with 20 ENLU MLAs and various other organizations in Tuensang last Thursday, ENPO leaders reiterated their call to boycott the April 19 Lok Sabha elections in the state. An ENPO spokesperson also said that the ‘public emergency’ that began on March 8 in the eastern part of Nagaland will continue. BJP is part of the United Democratic Alliance government in Nagaland. It had earlier urged ENPO to hold talks with the government to fulfill their demand for a separate state.
When we got assurance from Home Minister Amit Shah
ENPO had called for a boycott of last year’s assembly elections, but later withdrew it after assurances from Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The Union Home Ministry had constituted a three-member committee last year to study the demands of the ENPO and the panel has since visited Nagaland several times and held discussions with all stakeholders.
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Tags: BJP
FIRST PUBLISHED: March 31, 2024, 03:40 IST