DIMAPUR, SEPTEMBER 4 (MExN): The Lotha Hoho has opposed the census of the Gorkha community as notified by the Kohima Deputy Commissioner on August 22, to be listed as indigenous inhabitants of Nagaland.
A press release from the Lotha Hoho said that the notification of the Deputy Commissioner has set an “arbitrary qualifying date as up to June 11, 2016.” The Lotha Hoho referred to the State Government notification AR-8/8/76, dated April 28, 1978, which specifies the qualifying cutoff date as December 1, 1963. “This cutoff qualifying date is for all those other than native Nagas of Nagaland,” it added.
The Lotha Hoho further mentioned that the report of the Nagaland Commission on Registry of Indigenous Inhabitant of Nagaland (RIIN), is said to have been presented in the Nagaland State
Assembly in the last Budget session and the report is still under study by the State Government. “Hence the State Government has not issued any directive memorandum on RIIN implementation,” it said.
Further, the Lotha Hoho stated that as per the RIIN Commission report, the eligibility cutoff date is to be December 1, 1963. The Lotha Hoho questioned how the Deputy Commissioner can set his own arbitrary date as the cutoff date for eligibility to be an indigenous inhabitant of Nagaland.
“The Deputy Commissioners of Dimapur, Chümoukedima and Nuiland have also issued similar notifications earlier and the Lotha Hoho oppose the actions of the Deputy Commissioners of Kohima, Dimapur, Chumukedima and Nuiland, who have all set their own qualifying dates for eligibility under RIIN,” it said.
It noted that the Nagaland Tribes Council, KTB and CCK have all published their opposition to the arbitrary actions of the district authorities and urged all concerned Nagas to “note this error and to oppose the arbitrary actions of the Deputy Commissioners.” It asked the said Deputy Commissioners to withdraw their notifications on the matter immediately.
