20 MLAs cannot go against peoples’ will: CL John

The clamour for a separate state in eastern Nagaland has gained momentum ahead of the assembly polls due early next year, with 20 MLAs from the region extending support to a call not to take part in any election until the demand was met.
“The 20 MLAs from the region cannot go against the will of the people. The statehood agitation is a people’s movement and we are all with them,” C.L. John, the Eastern Nagaland Legislators’ Union secretary and advisor for Land Resources, told PTI.
The ENPO has submitted representations and memoranda to the Centre on several occasions since the commencement of the movement in 2010, the legislator said. John said that people are angered as the Centre is not replying either in affirmative or negative.
He said the issue was discussed in the assembly in 2012 and a representation was forwarded to the Centre.
NPN Adds: As published in this newspaper, Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation (ENPO) on August 31 reaffirmed its decision that the “people of Eastern Nagaland shall not participate in any election process of the State and Central” unless their demand for a separate ‘Frontier Nagaland’ was fulfilled. The reaffirmation of the boycott call was resolved after a joint consultative meeting held at DUDA guest house Kohima, attended by ENPO, Eastern Nagaland Legislators’ Union (ENLU), MP (Rajya Sabha) S. Phangnon Konyak and ENPO federating units.
Talking to media persons after the joint consultative meeting, ENPO president Tsapikyu Sangtam said the elected members and federating units were apprised of the August 26 joint consultative meeting resolution of ENPO with selected leaders of Eastern Nagaland, talk team, seven tribal bodies and frontal organisations.
Regarding the elected members of ENLU, Sangtam said they were in the government and ENPO could not impose anything upon them.
ENLU secretary and Adviser Land Resources CL John while acknowledging that the demand for Frontier Nagaland had started in 2010 and that it was a people’s movement, however, said that the decision to conduct elections was the prerogative of the Centre since it was a constitutional mandate.
On whether there was any likelihood for granting a separate state– Frontier Nagaland- John said the ball was in the court of Government of India.