Kohima, December 21 (MExN): The Nagaland Tribes Council (NTC) has said that there should not be any alteration of cut-off year and date other than December 1, 1963, for both the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation(BEFR) Act of 1873 (ILP) and RIIN for ascertaining indigenous inhabitants of Nagaland throughout the territorial jurisdiction of the State.
In a representation to the Chief Minister, a copy of which issued to the media on Monday, the NTC also demanded that the state government put out a draft copy of the Register of Indigenous Inhabitants of Nagaland (RIIN) in the public domain before it becomes an Act.
While acknowledging the RIIN Commission for submitting its final report to the government and the subsequent decision of the State Cabinet to peruse the matter in the Assembly, the NTC pointed out that Nagaland become a State out of 16 Point Agreement with effect from December 1, 1963. It said that a State Government of Nagaland Notification No. AR-8/8/76 dated Kohima April 28, 1977, also laid down December 1, 1963 as cut-off year for the purpose of identifying indigenous inhabitants of Nagaland.
“The BEFR Act 1873 (ILP) and RIIN are synonymous and therefore, there cannot be a different date and time of its implementation. There is no going back from the already laid down agreement and Notification as aforesaid for the cut-off year as December 1, 1963 to be an indigenous inhabitant of Nagaland,” it asserted.
It also pointed out that serial number 16 of the 16 Point Agreement stipulated that, “The rules embodied in the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873, shall remain in force in the Nagaland,” and that the Constitution of India delegated authority to the state government to enforce BEFR Act 1873 (ILP) in the entire Administrative jurisdiction of Nagaland including Dimapur. However, it observed that the law has been kept dormant because of “the casual attitude and negligence of the successive governments.”
The NTC claimed that ‘unscrupulous people’ have been taking advantage of the complacency of the state administration, affecting land laws particularly in Dimapur district, which it said, is detrimental to the very existence of the aboriginal people of the State.
Further stating that past leaders of Nagaland had enacted basic protective laws to prevent any kind of exploitation particularly on land ownership of the indigenous people with specific reference to Nagaland Land Revenue (Amendment) Act 1978, the representation stated that the protective acts, rules and notification are “rampantly violated.”
It therefore, reiterated that no alteration of cut-off year and date other than December 1, 1963 should be made to implement both BEFR Act 1873 (ILP) and RIIN.
