The Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO) has lifted its “indefinite total shutdown” across six districts of the State after claiming that its call was meant to offset any breakdown of the law-and-order situation.
The ENPO announced the indefinite shutdown in six eastern Nagaland districts – Kiphire, Longleng, Mon, Noklak, Shamator, and Tuensang – from 6 p.m. of April 18, more than 12 hours before polling for the lone Lok Sabha seat in the State was to start.
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The announcement followed the decision of the apex bodies and other NGOs of seven major tribes inhabiting the districts to boycott the polls in protest against the failure of the Centre to create the Frontier Nagaland Territory. A separate administrative set-up, they said, would elevate the six districts from decades of neglect.
“The indefinite total shutdown by the Eastern Nagaland Public Emergency Control Room... is hereby lifted with immediate effect. We regret the inconveniences caused,” a statement issued by the ENPO at 8.30 a.m. said on April 20.
The shutdown, which saw a record “zero percentage” voting across the 20 Assembly segments straddling the six eastern Nagaland districts, was lifted hours after the ENPO responded to a show-cause notice issued by the office of the State’s Chief Electoral Officer, Vayasan R., asking why action should not be taken against the organisation under sub-section (1) of Sectio 171 C of the Indian Penal Code.
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“The main goal of the public notice... was to reduce the possibility of disturbances in the eastern Nagaland region, which is under our jurisdiction, and the risks linked with the gathering of anti-social elements. It is to be noted that the eastern Nagaland region, is presently under public emergency,” the reply signed by ENPO president R. Tsapikiu Sangtam said.
He said the shutdown was a voluntary initiative taken by the region’s people after a series of consultations through the office of the ENPO headquartered in Tuensang.
He also said the decision to abstain from participating in the Lok Sabha elections “in the light of the prevailing circumstances and sentiments of the people” had been communicated to the Election Commission of India on April 1.
The shutdown notice was thus aimed at maintaining the law-and-order situation in eastern Nagaland to ensure the safety and well-being of its residents and deter anti-social elements from taking advantage of the circumstances, Mr. Sangtam said.
“If there has been any misunderstanding or misrepresentation of our actions, we regret and assure you of our full cooperation. We are committed to providing any further clarification or information as may be required by your authority,” he said.
