The attention of the NTC is drawn by opinion raised by some bloggers, while participating in Naga Blog discussion on the subject “Analyzing the issue of Tribe Recognition in Nagaland” as published in Morung Express local daily on 17th May, 2014. The NTC would like to clear the confusions being projected on enumerated data listing Rongmei indigenous inhabitants as published by the State Government.
The NTC maintained that the so called 1313 enumerated list of Rongmei Community in Nagaland State is bogus and without any basis. Any notification that is contrary to the legislated laws or against public interest is either challenge or resist by the citizens and hence, rejected by the people as anti-people’s decision in the 13th May, 2014 Public Rally. The present notification No. AR-8/8/76 dated the 28th of April, 1977 is a criteria being followed since the statehood and time tested legislated law of the State. The criteria laid down in the above law are implicitly clear and undisputed. No one ever denied that Rongmei is a Scheduled Tribe in India but the question here is its identification as indigenous inhabitant tribe in the state of Nagaland without holding any legal basis.
The stand of the NTC against the enumerated numbers of Rongmei indigenous inhabitants in the State of Nagaland as maintained by the Government of Nagaland to 1313 is bogus and void of any basis. The State Government should come out clear on the status of 1313 indigenous Rongmei inhabitants in the State of Nagaland with legal basis rather than creating confusion and polarization. The State Government on one hand notified the enumerated list of 1313 Rongmei indigenous inhabitants in the State and on the other hand nullified its own enumerated figure by a declaration through the concerned department that there is no Rongmei name in the 1963 E-Roll. The NTC also fails to understand what has prompted the State Government to conduct an exclusive survey to a particular community to give exclusive legal status. Our point of contention here is very simple. The members of Rongmei community like any other members or groups of indigenous inhabitants in the State of Nagaland can apply for an indigenous inhabitant certificate in the prescribed form by producing necessary legal papers as per the laid down criteria and not through special administrative enumeration drive. We are not concern whether the members of Rongmei Community is more or less than 1313 as long as they are within the entitlement to avail their status through legal procedures.
The interim order of the Honourable Gauhati High Court directing the State authority not to issue indigenous inhabitant certificate contrary to the criteria as laid down in the notification No. AR-8/8/76 dated 28th April, 1977 and directed the State of Nagaland to filed affidavit in reply to defend its action is unambiguously clear making the 1313 identification process accountable to the law of the land. The NTC at no point of time attempted to manipulate or misuse the Hon’ble Gauhati High Court order as alleged by several groups of people and individuals. Any interested group or person can take up with the appropriate Court instead of indulging into paper war or misleading the general public. The questions on human rights violation or unfair treatment and all emotional black mailings will not contribute to the solutions as desired by all. What we need today is a clear definition of status and identity and removal of all factors conflicting public policies inflicting injuries on the members of a family. The NTC request all concern to desist from creating confusion on the issue but be a part of the desired solution for unity and fraternity of the Nagas at large.
Media Cell,
NTC
