ENPO stands firm: No election participation until demands met

March 16, 2024 13 Views No Comment

Halts state & central govt sponsored constructions until further notice

Morung Express News
Dimapur | March 16

A week since the declaration of the ‘Public Emergency’ in Eastern Nagaland demanding the realization of the commitment given by the Government of India for creation of Frontier Nagaland Territory before the Lok Sabha 2024 polls, the Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organization (ENPO) has reiterated its February 23, 2024 Chenmoho Resolution.

With the Election Commission of India scheduled to announce the dates for the Lok Sabha polls on Saturday, the ENPO, tribal bodies and frontal organization on Friday said it stood firm on the resolution taken at Chenmoho village that the people of Eastern Nagaland “shall not participate in any central or state election.”

That being, if the offer for the creation of FNT is not settled by the GoI through the Ministry of Home Affairs before the declaration of the Election Model Code of Conduct to the Lok Sabha 2024, as reportedly assured by Union Home Minister on December 7, 2023.

The ENPO also reiterated that it “shall not accede to any assurance that may come up with by the MHA to be implemented after the upcoming Parliamentary election process.”

Meanwhile, in view of the ongoing Public Emergency and subsequent total shutdown in the entire Eastern Nagaland areas, the ENPO in a new notification informed that any ongoing State and Central government sponsored constructions (building, roads and supplies) shall be halted until further notice.

Since the declaration of the Public Emergency on March 5 at a joint meeting held in Dimapur with tribal bodies and frontal organizations, the ENPO kicked off its agitation with a call for a dawn to dusk total bandh on March 8 in the six districts of Eastern Nagaland– Mon, Tuensang, Noklak, Kiphire, Shamator and Longleng.

The ENPO then endorsed the Eastern Naga Students’ Federation (ENSF) to fully monitor the ongoing Public Emergency. On March 13, the ENSF organised a protest across all the district headquarters of Eastern Nagaland and burned effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Bhartiya Janata Party President JP Nadda.

The ENSF also issued directives for the Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) and the 20 elected members representing Eastern Nagaland to assemble in Tuensang HQ within 36 hours from March 12. The members could not convene in Tuensang in view of the Eastern Nagaland Legislative Union members travelling to New Delhi on March 15. The meeting has since then been postponed to March 19.