Separate state demand will harm Naga unity, says JDU

The JDU has appealed to the Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO) not to resort to any action that will weaken the Naga unity.

Addressing a press conference here on January 7, JDU general secretary in charge of northeast Afaque Ahmad Khan said the party believed that the demand for a separate state bifurcating Nagaland will do immense harm to the consolidation of unity among the Naga tribes.

Taking serious note of the ENPO’s demand for Frontier Nagaland state, the JDU leader said his party always stood for uniform development of all the regions in the country and removal of regional imbalances.

The party appealed to the central government to provide enough funds to Nagaland so that the eastern districts of the state are equally developed.
It asked whether bifurcation of Nagaland will bring peace to the souls of the martyrs who laid down their lives for integrating all the Naga-inhabited areas.

The JDU also voiced concern over the demand by some political parties and groups for imposition of President’s rule in the state.

“It is the considered opinion of the JDU that since the mandate of the 2018 elections was 'election for solution', elections should be held on schedule and the solution should be arrived at before the elections,” the party said in a statement after the press conference.

The JDU appealed to all political parties and groups who are demanding central rule in Nagaland to desist from making any statement that will give handle to the anti-democratic forces who want to prolong the “unrest” and take advantage of the “vulnerability” of the Nagas.

Maintaining that the root cause of political instability in Nagaland is the failure to resolve the Naga political issue, the statement said the party is for lasting peace and prosperity of the Nagas.
JDU’s Rajya Sabha MP Aneel Prasad Hegde also addressed the press conference.