Mokokchung, 5 September (MTNews): The Central Nagaland Tribes Council (CNTC) has issued a statement, calling upon the Deputy Commissioner of Kohima to rescind the publication of the draft updated list of Non-Naga Local Indigenous Nepal/Gorkha residents in the Kohima District. The notification, dated 22 August 2023, designates 11 June 2016 as the qualifying date for inclusion of the Non-Naga Local Indigenous Nepal/Gorkha residents in the Kohima District as Indigenous Inhabitants of Nagaland.
The CNTC labeled the notification as a “mischievous attempt” by the state government to undermine the rights of the people. The CNTC contended that the DC Kohima’s notification also violates the Nagaland Government’s long standing notification, dated 28 April 1978, which maintained the cutoff year for the purpose of recognizing Indigenous Inhabitants of Nagaland as 1st December 1963.
Furthermore, the CNTC highlighted that even the Nagaland Gorkha Association, in its submission to the Commission on RIIN on 24 September 2019, proposed two distinct cutoff dates (31 December 1940 and 1 December 1963). Consequently, the CNTC viewed the decision by the DC Kohima to establish 11 June 2016 as the qualifying date as “an atrocious decision laced with some other ulterior motives”.
“The Deputy Commissioners of Dimapur, Chumoukedima and Niuland are also supposed to have issued similar Notifications, imposing their own qualifying dates,” the CNTC added.
Expressing profound concern, the CNTC urged the state government to immediately direct the Deputy Commissioners to withdraw the notifications based on random qualifying dates to avert the possibility of further complications and potential social unrest. The Council also strongly demanded the implementation of RIIN with 1 December 1963 as the sole cutoff date without any further delay.
“RIIN was the brainchild of our Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri Neiphiu Rio and with the Commission on RIIN chaired by Madam Banuo Z Jamir doing a wonderful job of compiling and reporting its findings to the state govt, there is no reason for our Hon’ble Chief Minister to dither and delay implementation of RIIN if he is concerned for the people of Nagaland and its future generations,” the CNTC concluded.
DC Kohima keeps controversial notification in abeyance
Kohima Deputy Commissioner, Shanavas C, has kept the “updation exercise of Non-Naga Local Indigenous Nepali or Gorkha of Kohima district” in abeyance “given the objections received from various Tribal Hohos and other organizations.”
He said the exercise will be kept in suspension till clarity from the Government on further course of action to be taken by the Office is received. The notification was issued in supersession of the Office Notification.