Northeast Desk, 27th February: Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio of Nagaland has affirmed that the proposed Memorandum of Settlement (MoS) for the ‘Frontier Nagaland Territory’ was personally handed to him by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, aiming to dispel confusion surrounding the draft.
Rio clarified that the intention behind receiving the draft was to initiate discussions with legislators and the Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organization (ENPO), emphasizing the importance of addressing concerns and reaching consensus.
During the ongoing Assembly session, Rio addressed conflicting statements emerging post the meeting between the Eastern Nagaland Legislatures’ Union (ENLU) and ENPO regarding the proposed draft, highlighting the need for clarity and consensus among stakeholders.
Rio disclosed that the cabinet had decided to convene a meeting between ENPO and ENLU to address the issue, stressing the importance of power sharing and determining the best approach based on acceptance or rejection of the draft.
Responding to ENPO’s stance on direct communication with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Rio mentioned that while the state government proceeded with the task as assigned, ENPO is free to pursue direct communication if desired. Rio assured that the government remains committed to addressing various concerns surrounding the proposed settlement, including discussions on scrapping the Free Movement Regime, during the ongoing session of the house.
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