Reacting to statements made by some organisation(s) media cell of the Central Nagaland Tribes Council (CNTC), stated it was high time that Nagas learnt to differentiate and to draw the line between facts and propaganda though it was not against Naga unity but unity cannot justify any member of any Naga tribe outside Nagaland to claim to be an indigenous tribe of Nagaland just because they are Nagas.
CNTC said it never objected to Rongmeis being accorded as the Indigenous Inhabitants of Nagaland state for those qualifying the norms of the Government notification April 28,1977 but will continue to oppose recognition of Rongmei as a tribe of Nagland with other Naga tribes of Nagaland till it is revoked.
Responding to Naga Hoho’s allegations, CNTC accused NH of playing hide and seek by twisting the facts and the details. CNTC took umbrage on the NH’s attack that its federated units(Ao, Lotha Sumi) were “trying to tarnish the image of the Naga Hoho, through undemocratic and unethical means” and exposing “their lack of farsightedness.”
CNTC also termed as “totally baseless and a lie” the Naga Hoho denial that it had received an official copy of the 30-day ultimatum that expired on August 31,2016 which had also been made public when it was issued. Media Cell disclosed that the CNTC ultimatum had been handed over personally by an executive of CNTC at the residence of the President Naga Hoho. CNTC pointed that Naga Hoho belatedly summoned its assembly on September 28,2016 a month after the deadline expired, to discuss the Rongmei issue, in total disregard to the sentiments of Nagas of Nagaland.
CNTC said even before it took up the matter, other tribal organisations of Nagaland such as APO,CPO , ENPO, ZPO and NTC were already against Rongmei recognition. Therefore, CNTC asked Naga Hoho as to how it can accuse CNTC of “misleading the Nagas?”
CNTC cited several decisions of the Angami Public Organisation (APO) on the Rongmei recognition issue: On July 3,2013 APO asked the chief minister to “derecognise the Rongmei community” and also to “put an end to move to recognise Mao community as an indigenous inhabitant tribe of Nagaland”. On April 29,2013 meeting APO decided that opening doors for recognition of other Naga tribes from other states or country would only lead to demand by other tribes of similar backdground as Maos, Poumais, Tangkhuls, Hemis etc.
APO expressed great concern over granting of indigenous inhabitant Naga tribe statues of Nagaland through modification of the April 28,1977 notification citing in particular, the case with Rongmeis in the 2012 recruitment drive for Graduate Teachers in Peren district wherein a person from Tamenglong district of Manipur obtained indigenous inhabitant Naga tribe/BT certificate as Zeliang tribe of Nagaland was duly recommended by NPSC for Deputy SP post reserved for Zeliang tribe under BT quota.
CNTC also pointed that ENPO at its executive meeting on May 4,2013 opposed the inclusion/recognition of Mao and Rongmei tribes in Nagaland and sought appropriate clarification from the state government in this regard.
CNTC also said Zeliang People’s Organisation(ZPO) stated that the recognition of Rongmei was notified without ascertaining facts and without verification and valid reason in 2012. ZPO had also said that home commissioner Temjen Toy has however correctly pointed out Zeliang tribe was included leaving out Rongmei tribe, as Zeliangs had their own ancestral land/territory in Nagaland; whereas Rongmei community members were “invited from Imphal valley during later part” on October 19, 1965 by the then Tribal Council Chairman Namgaheing Iheilung to “cultivate land” which was reclaimable as clearly stated in his appeal.
ZPO had also described the enumeration report submitted by the committee as “fictitious and baseless” and reiterated that the names of those (223) Rongmei enlisted in the list submitted was not from Peren district prior to the electoral roll of 1963
CNTC also pointed out that Chakhesang Public Organisation (CPO) recalled that the state government notification on August 4,2012 was in pursuance of the cabinet decision on July 23,2012 to recognise Rongmei as one of the Naga tribes. CPO also said such a status did not befit the community since it was already recognised as a tribe in Manipur besides not having any ancestral land in Nagaland.
CNTC also mentioned that the Committee headed by J. Alam, IAS Home commissioner, clearly stated in its report “such a status while entitling them to avail all the benefits of reservation to pursue employment and education will not make them an indigenous Naga tribe of the State”. It also said “Members of Rongmei community who are qualified as per the criteria as laid down” by notification dated April 28, 1977 were entitled to be an indigenous inhabitant of the state of Nagaland but that would not make them “indigenous Naga tribe of the state”. CNTC revealed, that the state cabinet had blatantly disregarded the findings of the Expert Committee by taking a political decision to recognise Rongmei as an indigenous inhabitant tribe of Nagaland on July 23,2012 against people’s wishes. Further, CNTC disclosed that four out of the eight cabinet ministers did not append their signature for Rongmei recognition.
CNTC also slammed Naga Hoho’s plea that its September 22,2008 letter to the state government was just an opinion and view and not an endorsement. CNTC said the Naga Hoho letter dated September 22,2008 reads: “ GRANTING of status of Indigenous Naga Tribe to Rongmei Community settled in Nagaland.” CNTC said “granting” was to surrender and much stronger than the word “endorse”.