GUWAHATI: Nagaland on Thursday marked its 60th statehood day with the celebration of 'Hornbill Festival' but seven tribes from six districts boycotted the gala event in protest against the Centre’s failure to create the “Frontier Nagaland” state.
W Manwang Anghaa, secretary of eastern Nagaland’s largest tribal group Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO), told this newspaper nobody from the region would participate in the ten-day festival which draws people from around the world. An 11-member ENPO delegation left for New Delhi on Thursday after being invited by the Home Ministry for a discussion on the demand. This is the fifth such meeting, coming after a gap of more than two years.
The ENPO has been for the past few years spearheading a “people’s movement” for Frontier Nagaland state. They want the Centre to create the new state by slicing off the six districts of Kiphire, Longleng, Mon, Noklak, Shamator and Tuensang. The demand stems from eastern Nagaland’s alleged backwardness.
Nagaland has 60 Assembly seats and 20 of them are in these six districts. The 20 seats are currently held by ruling parties Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (16) and BJP (four).
The ENPO has already threatened to boycott the state elections, expected in February next year.
“We firmly stand by our resolution that the people of eastern Nagaland will boycott the elections if the Frontier Nagaland state is not created,” the ENPO secretary said. “All political parties and legislators will abide by the resolution as it is a people’s movement,” said Konyak Union leader Hongnao Konyak. The union comes under the ENPO.