Dimapur, Nov. 28 (EMN): The government of Nagaland has requested the Eastern Nagaland Peoples' Organisation (ENPO) and the tribes of the districts of the region to participate in the Hornbill Festival 2022 by allowing their cultural troupes to join the 10-day annual event and also to run the morungs.
Chief Secretary J Alam updated that the state Cabinet decided to make the appeal during its meeting held at Naga Heritage Village Kisama on Monday morning to discuss various matters including the participation of cultural troupes from eastern Nagaland in the Hornbill Festival which will be held from December 1 to the 10th.
The ENPO had earlier announced that it would not participate in the state’s annual cultural extravaganza, citing “hardships faced by the participants” from the eastern region.
However, the update by Alam stated that the Cabinet had noted the “grievances raised by ENPO and tribal Hohos of the respective tribes with regard to participation of cultural troupes in Hornbill Festival have been duly addressed by the government by providing necessary additional facilities”.
‘The Cabinet also noted that the Union Home Minister has already given an appointment to meet the ENPO delegation on 3rd December 2022 in Delhi. With regard to the demand for a separate State, the Cabinet was of the view that whenever the Nagaland Legislative Assembly Session is convened, the MLAs of ENLU (Eastern Nagaland Legislators’ Union), if and when they desire to discuss it, may move accordingly and the same shall be deliberated threadbare,’ it added.
Therefore, the state Cabinet appealed to allow the cultural troupes and other people of the eastern districts to participate in the Hornbill Festival 2022.
This came two days after state government delegation led by the chief minister met with the leaders of ENPO, Eastern Nagaland Women Organisation (ENWO), Eastern Nagaland Students' Federation (ENSF) and all the Tribal Hohos, at Rhododendron Hall, Central Police Officers' Mess, Chümoukedima, to discuss the matter.