The Rising People’s Party (RPP) has issued a statement asserting that the state government has officially justified its position that the Kachari, Kuki, Garo, and Mikir tribes are indigenous to Nagaland. According to the party, this entitles members of these tribes to obtain Scheduled Tribe (ST) certificates and Indigenous Inhabitant Certificates (IICs).
The RPP also stated that the government has confirmed 24 posts of police constables are reserved for these non-Naga indigenous tribes of Nagaland.
In light of this clarification, the RPP has questioned the Inner Line Regulation Commission (ILRC) of the Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) regarding its earlier statement that “Nagas are the only indigenous people of Nagaland.” The party alleged that the ILRC, “guided by sheer arrogance,” had previously questioned the RPP’s stand and even referred to these tribes as “migrants.”
Condemning what it termed the “jingoistic stand” of the ILRC, the RPP called on the NSF to nullify the statement issued by the commission, describing it as “a mere committee formed by the NSF to check the implementation of ILP in the state.”
The party further stated that the “utterly incoherent” stand of the ILRC has caused confusion and portrayed Nagas in a negative light, for which the NSF “must and should” issue a clarification.
The RPP concluded by describing the ILRC’s attempt to “thrash the RPP on a non-issue in the print media” as a publicity-seeking exercise.
