CNTC opposes move to revive Rongmei ST issue in Nagaland

DIMAPUR, MAY 13 (NPN): Central Nagaland Tribes Council (CNTC) has opposed what it described as attempts by the state government to revive the issue of granting Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to Rongmei individuals settled in Nagaland, warning that such a move would adversely affect opportunities for indigenous Nagas.
CNTC through its media cell said the issue was not new and had previously been opposed by various tribal hohos. It recalled that state government had recognized Rongmei community as an indigenous Naga tribe in 2012, but the cabinet in April 2017 withdrew the decision after objections from several tribal bodies.
The official notification withdrawing the recognition was issued on June 2, 2017, it said.
CNTC claimed that the state government was now attempting to revive the matter by conferring ST status on 1,313 Rongmei individuals and their descendants who, according to the council, were brought to Nagaland by the British as scavengers and later settled in the state.
The council said it was “shocked” to read reports published in local newspapers on May 9, 2026 revisiting the issue, which it believed had already been settled in 2017.
Reiterating its opposition, CNTC maintained that every state was unique and inhabited by communities with ancestral lands and historical roots. It expressed concern that increasing population pressure and limited resources were already affecting livelihood opportunities for Nagas in the state.
According to the council, recognizing communities from outside the state and granting them ST status would reduce opportunities available to younger generations of Nagaland.
Describing the move as a “direct challenge” to the youth of Nagaland, CNTC questioned the motive of the state government and asked what future awaited younger Naga generations if such policies continued.
The council also stated that the Naga struggle for self-determination was aimed at protecting and preserving Naga land, identity and unity under a common administrative setup. However, it alleged that instead of safeguarding ancestral lands and championing the Naga cause, some communities were attempting to claim equal rights in what it described as a “resource-starved” state.
CNTC further questioned whether the state government had any long-term plan for indigenous Nagas, alleging that Nagaland was increasingly being “subdued by migrants and immigrants.”
Calling for unity among Nagas, the council said the concept of brotherhood and the vision of a Naga homeland should remain broad-based and not be narrowed by competing interests. CNCT has urged all communities to preserve and protect ancestral Naga-inhabited areas within their respective jurisdictions and keep alive the vision of earlier Naga leaders and pioneers.