KOHIMA, May 18 (NEPS): Senior ruling NPF functionary from Longlen has described the demand of the ENPO for a separate “Frontier Nagaland State” as “genuine.” “It is a movement supported by the masses,” said Er TL Semdok, Vice President, NPF. “The only thing is the political will is lacking,” he told NEPS News here on Friday.
The NPF leader, who unsuccessfully contested as RJD candidate in the last state general elections from 50 Longlen Assembly Constituency, while supporting the demand of the ENPO made it clear that “there should be a political will in order to achieve their goal (Frontier Nagaland State).”
He also categorically stated his point that though the State of Nagaland was born out of 16-Point Agreement, they could never have seen as a State if ENPO areas did not come while the State was formed.
The State came into being with their areas but regrettably, they, in spite of forming almost half the population of the entire state, had been grossly neglected in many spheres. “There is a chronic negligence and the anger of being longed neglected bottled up and the present demand of a separate ‘Frontier Nagaland State’ was the culmination of that maltreatment to the people of these areas,” he explained.
Semdok further put his point across that the Central Government’s economic seminars for the people of ENPO areas organized in Mon and Tuensang in the past itself proved beyond doubt that the areas had been neglected. Another seminar was also held here at Kohima for the economic development of the ENPO areas, unfortunately the money sanctioned after these seminars was manipulated by the present Government, he alleged.
The Central Government knew very well of the backwardness of the ENPO areas since long time back. So they had been releasing funds for the economic development of these areas. But since all these funds had been routed through the State Government, they had been manipulated and the benefit had not reached to the targeted people, he alleged.
The NPF leader, who is yet to resign from the party (NPF) and contest from other political party in the coming election against the sitting ruling NPF MLA Pangyu Phom, also disclosed that their people in his district were yet to taste what it called the developments even after 49 years of Statehood. For the people out there, they did not know that there was government for their wellbeing, he stated alleging that the present Parliamentary Secretary, RD, had been allegedly providing CGI sheets to the villagers and youth who promised to support him in the coming state general elections. “But many of our youth who came to know the conditional assistance being worked out by the Parliamentary Secretary, refused to take those CGI sheets,” Mr further alleged.
Sengdok also said the road conditions in their district were so pathetic and only portion of road which remained somehow in good condition was the one from Changtongya to Longlen. But this road was again constructed by the previous Government, he added. He went on criticising the Government particularly the Medical Department saying that his district did not get a single benefit from the NRHM programs till date. “There have been various schemes for the villagers under the NRHM schemes, but all these have not reached to our areas,” he disclosed.
On educational sector, the ex-candidate said, though they have only a single college, they are yet to see even a Higher Secondary School in the whole of district till date. “It is so painful that our people, far away from state capital or other major advanced districts and cities, are not in a position to study higher classes if their economic conditions are in bad shape,” he stated. “In any case, those who can afford sending their children from the district to Kohima or Mokokchung or Dimapur, etc, are a negligible few,” he pointed out expressing his serious concern on the educational sector. He assured that he would give his priority to “educational sector” if he was elected in the coming election due early next year.
He also said they had eight BDOs in Longlen. Out of this, six were in present Parliamentary Secretary’s village, Yachim while one each was given to Hukphang and Pongching villages. “All these have been politically appointed and not through the proper recruitment procedures,” he stated disclosing that he already had lodged a complaint in this regard. “Ruefully, the Government has not taken any action yet,” he added.
