The Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO) and the Eastern Nagaland Legislators Union (ENLU) on Wednesday stated that the ball is now in the court of the Government of India (GoI) to respond to the demand of the Eastern Nagaland people for creation of a separate statehood: Frontier Nagaland.

The ENLU and ENPO along with its frontal organisations held a marathon meeting at DUDA guest house, Kohima today to discuss the 26 August resolution adopted by the ENPO.

ENLU member MLA CL John said the demand of Frontier Nagaland is a people’s movement, and the ENLU respects and supports the public movement.

“If eastern people demand, we also support,” he said.

CL John stated it now depends on the Central government as the matter has already been discussed and highlighted in the Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) in 2012 and recommendations had also been submitted to the GoI. Since no response has come from the GoI on this matter till now, the people of Eastern Nagaland are raising their voice, he said.

It may be mentioned that the then President of BJP Nitin Gadkari, while addressing a mammoth gathering at Local Ground in Tuensang district, had assured the people of Eastern Nagaland that the BJP would carve out a separate state of Frontier Nagaland if it came to power in the Lok Sabha elections 2014, saying that the party has recognized the uniqueness of the eastern people and understood the problems and grievances faced by them.

ENPO President Tsapikiu Sangtam, said the organisation had called for the consultative meeting as they wanted to consult the elected members of their 26 August resolution. The Eastern elected members have no say to their resolution as they are in the government, he said and added, “the elected members will have to listen to their people.”

Sangtam said the people of Eastern Nagaland have taken such a drastic step as they have long been waiting for a decision to be given by the GoI for the creation of a separate statehood. He said it is up to the GoI; if they don’t respond, the eastern people will go ahead with the resolution.

Asked, whether this will have an impact on the ongoing Indo Naga political issue, Sangtam, mincing no words, said, “We have different chapter, our issue is different. It cannot go along with the Naga political talk. We are talking about the demand of a separate statehood within the Indian Union. They should know that we want to have a separate kitchen within the Indian Union. It is within the Indian Union we are talking so question does not arise that our move will sabotage the Naga talk or solution.”

Furthermore, he said the organisation had already had a sitting with the Eastern leaders of the two negotiating parties, NSCN-IM and 7 NNPGs, and briefed them with sufficient clarification.

“They have also understood. Rather most of them will be helping and supporting us,” he added.