DIMAPUR, JUNE 27 (MExN): Leader of NPF Legislature Party, Kuzholuzo (Azo) Nienu on Tuesday rued that if autonomous council is granted to ENPO, the members of the 14 august house of Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) would be leaving behind a ‘legacy of disintegration of Nagaland.’
Voicing out his views on the ENPO issue on autonomous council with separate funding and the Manipur impasse, Azo said if autonomous council/ autonomous regional council is granted to the six districts of Eastern Nagaland, which is likely to happen, Nagas would become more ‘divided politically/demographically.’
“The only consolation perhaps is the thought that if greater autonomy for the ENPOs results in better living condition and help them to come at par with the rest of the world, we congratulate them but at the end of the day, it may have adverse effect sooner or later,” he stated.
The bitter truth to this however, according to Azo, is the members of the 14th august house of NLA are going to leave behind a legacy of disintegration of Nagaland.
On the idea of disintegration, Azo pondered “if the GoI is prepared to talk about autonomous council/regional council for the ENPOs, why not the Kukis or the Nagas of Manipur.”
Azo observed that only exceptional humanitarian conviction loaded with extraordinary wisdom or granting of autonomous regional council/union territory or separate administration under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian constitution maybe the answer to the violence hit State of Manipur.
He stated that if the Government of India (GoI) had been genuinely serious and concerned about Manipur and if President Rule was imposed within days of the eruption of violence, things would not have turned for the worse as witnessed now.
Stating that the present state of affairs in Manipur has shown miserable failure of the state to protect lives and properties, Azo speculated if all this was allowed to happen as part of the game plan to win the majoritarian hearts which will turn in votes by November 2023.
He said the leadership at the center must show that their government stands above its party lines, that it is committed to uphold the sacred duty of the state to provide security of precious life and property.
Whatever be the outcome of the Manipur situation, Azo said it must not be forgotten that the neighborhood relations amongst the Meiteis, Kukis and Nagas cannot be changed.
“If we can peacefully coexist in the past for so many years in history, sharing brotherhood relations, what is the hurdle in maintaining the same cordial relations in the years to come?”
