Kohima, September 29 (MExN): The Nagaland Tribes Council (NTC) has stated today that the “indigenous tribe” recognition issue in Nagaland State today is the “most contentious issue” in public domain.
In reference to this, a press release from Theja Therieh, Chairman of the Media Cell of the NTC, noted that the State Government “taking shelter” under the Writ Petition of the Zeliang People’s Organisation (ZPO) amounts to either “shying away from its official responsibility to address the issue or intending to misguide the general public.”
Explaining the point, the NTC took the position that the petition filed by the ZPO does not challenge notification No. HOME/SCTA-6/2007 (PT.I) dated Kohima, August 4, 2012, “that had given recognition to Rongmei as indigenous tribe in Nagaland.”
According to the NTC, ZPO’s Writ Petition “challenged Rongmei’s indigenous inhabitant status” and the Gauhati High Court gave interim orders “restricting issuing of indigenous certificate to members of Rongmei Community.”
“As a matter of fact, since the ZPO did not challenge the issue of recognition of Rongmei as indigenous tribe of Nagaland, the question of subjudice either to discuss it in public domain or interfering the court procedures does not arise. Rather to retain the recognition or to revoke the order lies in the court of the State Government,” the NTC maintained.
