Neiphiu Rio clarifies origin of 'Frontier Nagaland Territory' proposal amidst conflicting statements

In a bid to dispel confusion surrounding the proposed Memorandum of Settlement (MoS) for the 'Frontier Nagaland Territory', Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio of Nagaland affirmed that the draft was personally handed to him by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Rio clarified that the intention behind receiving the draft was to initiate discussions with legislators and the Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organization (ENPO).

During the ongoing Assembly session, Rio addressed queries from media personnel regarding the draft presented by the Eastern Nagaland Legislatures’ Union (ENLU) during a meeting on February 9. Conflicting statements emerged post the meeting, with ENLU members stating unanimous rejection of the proposed draft, while the ENPO emphasized that no decision would be made until the final draft is officially received from the Centre through proper channels.

Acknowledging the confusion, Rio disclosed that the cabinet had decided on convening a meeting between ENPO and ENLU to address the issue. He emphasized the importance of power sharing and stated that the best approach would be determined based on acceptance or rejection of the draft by the involved parties.

Rio also addressed ENPO's stance on receiving the draft directly from the Home Ministry without involving a third party, stating that the state government proceeded with the task as assigned. However, he mentioned that if ENPO desires direct communication with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), they are free to do so.

Furthermore, Rio mentioned that the issue of scrapping the Free Movement Regime would be discussed during the ongoing session of the house, indicating the government's commitment to addressing various concerns surrounding the proposed settlement.