Our Correspondent
Kohima, Jan 24 (EMN): Amid demand for new districts sparked by the recent announcement of Tseminyu, Niuland, Chümoukedima and Shamator as separate administrative units, Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Monday said that the state government won’t divide the existing tribal districts.
He was speaking to journalists on the sidelines of a meeting in the state capital.
‘Nagaland is a tribal state, and from the beginning, on the basis of tribes, districts were given. So, even this government is committed to acknowledge the tribal components as a tribal state,’ he said, adding that areas with a sizeable population of tribals were identified.
While informing that there were demands to divide Mon district into three, Mokokchung into three districts, Zunheboto and Wokha, including Pochury (Meluri), the chief minister said fragmentation of tribal districts is not in the interest of Nagas and the people should understand the policy of the state government in the interest of the Naga community.
“Nagaland state motto is 'Unity' and therefore it is not in the interest of the Nagas that we divide a tribal district into smaller fragmentation; that's why our decision is, we will not divide the tribal district which is already in existence," said Rio.
He went on to say that Nagaland is a small state, smaller than some districts in the country.
Meanwhile, Rio informed that the special investigation team (SIT) is still waiting for the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) report on the victims of Mon firing incident for submitting the final report.
He said that the findings of the probing team will be incomplete without the CFSL report and there won’t be any evidence or scientific proof to proceed any further. That is the only issue; otherwise we have paid ex gratia, given the appointment (to victims’ kins) and have taken up their demands for developmental activities, he added.
The chief minister also informed that the government is also discussing about the possibility of setting up of a forensic lab in the state 'but it is not an easy thing'.
Maintaining that even a big state like Assam doesn’t have such facility, he said a forensic lab can be installed but there will be lots of complications in maintaining it.
"If we are capable (of managing forensic lab), then we can install and I am going to take this issue with the Union Home Minister when I meet him, but being a small state, we have so many disadvantages and whether we will be able to maintain or to manage, that is the issue," he said.
On Konyak Union and Eastern Nagaland Peoples' Organisation’s call to boycott the Republic Day celebrations in its jurisdiction, Rio said that the chief secretary had written to them, saying that they shouldn’t boycott the event.
"Government will do what is necessary and as a democracy, what they want to say is up to them," said Rio.