Kohima, Jan. 8 : Thousands of people today participated in a rally to press for a separate state in the four backward districts of Nagaland — Tuensang, Kiphire, Mon and Longleng.
The rally was sponsored by the Eastern Nagaland Peoples Organisation.
Tongthan Khiamnungan, adviser to the organisation, said creation of a separate state for the backward tribes would be beneficial to Naga society.
He said the backward tribes received a step-motherly treatment by the state government in that they were discriminated against in development, education and job opportunities.
Now we are getting only one plate but if a separate state is created for us Nagas will get two plates Khiamnungan said.
He alleged step-motherly treatment to backward tribes by the state government.
The tribes from these backward districts say they are discriminated against in development, education and job opportunities.
In all the educational institutions, the state government had alloted reservation and relaxation for the students from backward districts.
While 25 per cent job is reserved for them in government jobs. The population in four districts is around nine lakh. There are 11 districts in Nagaland. Of the 60 MLAs 20 are from these four districts.
Khiamnungan said they would chalk out a further course of action and would continue to talk with the Union government.
He said the organisation was determined to pursue a separate state so that they could also progress ahead with the rest of the communities.
He also said Changland and Tirap districts of Arunachal Pradesh would be included in the new state. “The people from these two districts are willing to join us,” he said.
The organisation is in constant touch with the Naga leaders of Changlang and Tirap. Our brothers and sisters are also in Changlang and Tirap, he said.
People of these two districts have been demanding a separate state for 7 years now. Khiamnungan said Naga people are also scattered in Burma and the efforts were being made to bring them together.
Asked whether their demand for a separate state would sabotage the ongoing Naga peace talks between the Centre and the NSCN (Isak-Muivah) or whether the NSCN supports the demand, Khiamnungan said so far the Naga outfit had not commented on this issue. “I think they morally support our demand,” he said.
The NSCN (I-M)’s demands include greater Nagalim, which will affect Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.
The Congress has requested the Nagaland People’s Organisation to think over their demand.
The BJP has blamed the state government for failing to deliver justice to the backward communities.
BJP general secretary, Yambos Murry however pulled up the 20 legislators from four backward districts for not able to meet the needs of the people due to corruption. The democratic alliance of Nagaland government never heeds and stood balance distributions of developmental funds among the tribe is another reason he said. He held the 20 legislators for the demand for the separate state. The 20 legislators have so far remained silent over this issue so also the state government.