Naga Home Minister says Consultative Meet on Article 371(A)

Kohima, Oct 5 : Nagaland Home Minister Imkong L Imchen has said that the proposed Consultative Meet organized by the state government with the Naga Civil societies, would be on the issue of the Article 371(A) of the Constitution of India, on which basis Nagaland was given statehood.

In an appeal to the political parties, tribal organizations, tribal Hohos (apex traditional bodies of the tribes), Naga Hoho (Apex body of all Hohos), Eastern Naga Public Organization, Eastern Naga Women Organization, Naga Mothers Association, Naga Students Federation, Eastern Naga Students Federation and all other civil societies and mass based organizations to attend the Consultative Meet at the Heritage Village at Kisama on October 8 and present their valuable and considered opinions to bring a concretized resolution on the issue for the betterment of the Nagas.

The meeting is to enable the Nagas to speak in one language on the issue of the land and its resources, as the state is constituted under the provision of Article 371(A) of the Constitution of India with special status.

Mr Imchen further said that said the Naga people are also required to speak out their mind in consonance with the provision of the Constitution on the issue of Women Reservation in Municipal and Town Councils, elections for which are due, while stating that the Nagaland Government is of the view that consensus opinion has to be put in place so that there are no divergent views on the policy in this vital aspect.

He also expressed happiness over the Special Constitutional Safeguards granted to the state and to reaffirm the constitutional safeguard, the Naga legislators in the last Assembly Session passed a unanimous resolution reiterating the rights of the people in respect of the land and its resources.