Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Nagaland Chief Minister Dr Neiphiu Rio and ENPO leaders at the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement on Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (in New Delhi on February 5, 2026. In a statement issued on May 30, the ENPO accused the Nagaland Government of making a "U-turn" on key provisions of the agreement. (File Photo/PIB)
Convenes series of consultative meetings
Tuensang, May 30 (MExN): The Eastern Nagaland Peoples' Organisation (ENPO) has accused the Nagaland Government of reneging on commitments made under the Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA) Memorandum of Agreement (MoA), alleging a "U-turn" on key provisions of the accord signed on February 5, 2026.
Taking "serious note" of the conduct of the Nagaland Government on the MoA, the organisation reminded "one and all" that the agreement provides for the creation of a "unique self-governing Territorial Authority with Legislative, Executive and Financial autonomy for the Eastern Nagaland Region within the State of Nagaland, with special responsibilities to the Governor to ensure its institutional integrity."
This is the very core of the FNTA upon which the MoA was shaped for signing, the ENPO pointed out in a press communiqué issued through its Media Cell.
"Any deletion or modification to this core principle after signing shall amount to destroying the whole MoA," it added.
Amid the ongoing concerns, the organisation has also convened a series of consultative meetings in Tuensang next week involving its leadership, political parties, tribal bodies and other stakeholders.
According to the ENPO, the State Government, in its official comments in November 2024, had conveyed its agreement to the proposed autonomous arrangement during discussions on the Memorandum of Settlement (MoS) presented by the Ministry of Home Affairs in 2023.
The State Government had then agreed that the FNTA would be granted legislative, executive and financial autonomy within the State of Nagaland, it said.
However, the ENPO accused the State Government of making a serious attempt to differ from its earlier position and termed the development unfortunate.
The organisation said the alleged reversal raised serious concerns about the State Government's sincerity as a party to the tripartite process and described its objections to the MoA as a sign of a lack of seriousness and a betrayal of the people of Eastern Nagaland.
It further questioned why the Advocate General had been kept in the dark throughout nearly three years of negotiations, only for legal objections to surface after the signing of the MoA.
If the Advocate General's office had not been adequately involved in the process, the responsibility rested with the State Government itself, it contended.
To this end, the ENPO maintained that any such lapse could not be used as a justification to delay or obstruct the implementation of the FNTA, which it said was intended to address the long-standing aspirations of the people of Eastern Nagaland.
It further cautioned against efforts to shift responsibility for the matter to the Centre, stating that any such move would be viewed seriously and that any adverse consequences arising from delays or deviations from the agreement would rest with the State Government.
Accordingly, the ENPO called upon the State Government to honour its commitments and act in good faith to ensure the smooth implementation of the MoA.
The FNTA signing ceremony held on February 5, 2026, marked the end of negotiations with the ENPO, it added.
Reiterating its demand, the ENPO called on the Government to table and pass the FNTA Bill in the Nagaland Legislative Assembly without diluting the provisions contained in the signed MoA.
Meanwhile, the organisation has convened its Central Executive Council (CEC) meeting in Tuensang on June 3.
Rajya Sabha MP Smti Phangnon Konyak, members of the Eastern Nagaland Legislators' Union (ENLU), and former parliamentarians from the region have been invited to attend.
Ahead of the CEC meeting, a consultative meeting with leaders and workers of national and state political parties from Eastern Nagaland will be held on June 2.
Political parties have been requested to depute three-member delegations, while tribal councils have also been invited to send representatives to the consultation.
