Joint Committee for Prevention of Illegal Immigrants (JCPI) has urged upon chief minister Neiphiu Rio for passing a legislation to make Register of Indigenous Inhabitants of Nagaland (RIIN) an Act during the ensuing winter session of Nagaland Legislative Assembly scheduled from February 12.
In an open letter to the chief minister, JCPI convener Atomi Swu and secretary Tia Longchar maintained that RIIN was of utmost importance for the citizens as it is the basis and system to identify, regulate and entitle each citizen under the appropriate provisions under the State.
The signatories further stressed that as Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873 or ILP and RIIN are synonymous , JCPI which was the spearheading committee of apex tribal bodies and CSOs, was of the strong opinion that the cut-off year of December 1, 1963 should be same in both the cases.
Further they said an official copy of the “much awaited Banuo Commission report on RIIN” was yet to be given to JCPI before it becomes an Act.
JCPI also reminded that an ultimatum was submitted on February 24,2020 to the CM’s Office but due to the pandemic it was kept in abeyance.
JCPI cautioned that if RIIN was not enacted with the above cut-off year, it will be left with no option but to “launch various democratic means of protest in the state of Nagaland.”