New Delhi: Nagaland CM Neiphiu Rio at Parliament during the second phase of the budget session, in New Delhi, Monday, March 13, 2023. (Photo: Qamar Sibtain/IANS)
DIMAPUR, OCTOBER 27 (MExN): The Rising People’s Party (RPP) led by its president Joel Naga met Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Friday and submitted a petition on the issue of Talukdar, GB of New Market, and points to strengthen the enforcement of Inner Line Permit in Dimapur.
The RPP, in the petition, said the usage of the term Gaon Bura by non-Nagas in Dimapur municipal area is unacceptable. While the system of GBship may not be uniquely Naga, that the GBs in the state are the custodians of Naga customary laws and tradition (in a village setting) is a settled fact.
It, therefore, proposed that terms such as Marwari representative, or Muslim representative may be used instead in Dimapur municipality. Secondly, whether one is representing the Jain, Bihari, Bengali, or the Muslim community, he must be an indigenous person, meaning he or his ancestor must be a pre-1963 inhabitant of the state (with valid documents), it stated.
With regard to Naga GBs in ULBs, the RPP recommended that instead of the term GB, any other term such as, “Colony representative”, etc., may be used since the term GB in ULBs is a misnomer.
The RPP also demanded that the service of Talukdar, GB of New Market, Dimapur should be terminated immediately as it has been verified that Talukdar is a Non-Indigenous person, since there’re no records to show that he or his ancestors are pre-1963 inhabitants.
On Temporary Residential Certificates
On the issue of Temporary Residential Certificates (Temporary Residential Permits), the RPP referred to the Home Department notification No.CON-92/81 dated Kohima October, 1981, which states that Temporary Residential Certificates can only be issued to persons who have acquired land post-1963 with the permission of the government, persons holding business licences after 1963 and their heirs and persons residing in the state prior to 1963 or with names in the 5th December e-roll.
In light of this, the RPP recommended that all Temporary Residential Permits issued till date in violation of this notification must be declared null and void.
It contented that such a drastic action is required for the fact that TRPs are quasi-legal in nature. Therefore, GBs, particularly in urban areas, cannot be allowed to randomly issue such an important document to non-locals for the purpose of issuance of birth certificates, driving licenses, trade licenses, etc,.
Once all TRPs issued in violation of the 1981 notification is made null and void, all the responsible departments having issued such documents should be directed to nullify the birth certificates, driving licenses, trade licenses, etc., issued in the last 42 years.
Categories for ILP exemption
The RPP also suggested that those non-Naga non-indigenous people residing in the state after 1963 – the category of people who bought land/immovable in the state both prior to and after the declaration of Dimapur as a Tribal Belt in 1979, may be exempted from the ILP regime. However, their properties may be taxed by making necessary amendments made to the Nagaland Municipal Act.
The state government should create a data-base of all properties particularly in the erstwhile district of Dimapur and ensure that the Act is not violated, the RPP further stated.
For the non-Naga non-indigenous people residing in the state after 1963 – the category of people without land/immovable property, but with business licenses issued prior to declaration of Dimapur as a Tribal Belt, they and their descendants too may be exempted from the ILP regime.
For the rest of the non-Naga non-indigenous inhabitants without land/immovable property but with business licenses issued only after the declaration of Dimapur as a Tribal Belt in 1979, this category of people must be subject to ILP regime, it stated.
For the rest of the floating population all may be subjected to ILP regime, the RPP said.
It also pushed for setting up of Foreigners Tribunal and a separate Department to handle illegal immigration complete with checks at all entry points and digitilisation of records.
It also called for modification of the proposed railway line to Zubza. Instead of ferrying both passengers and goods from Dimapur sector, only goods may be ferried from Shokhuvi station onwards.
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