NGTC objects to CM’s ‘migrant’ remark on Garos

DIMAPUR, NOV 3 (NPN): Nagaland Garo Tribal Council (NGTC) has expressed concern over the reported remarks of Chief Minister Dr. Neiphiu Rio referring to the Garos as “migrants” during discussions on Indigenous Inhabitants, which appeared in local dailies on October 31, 2026.
In a statement, NGTC president Diganto Sangma and general secretary Cliff Sangma said the remarks had hurt the sentiments of the Garo community in Nagaland and caused concern among its members. It said the community’s historical presence, identity and connection to the Dimapur region deserved recognition and respect, asserting that the Garos were also an aboriginal community of Dimapur district.
They said Garos had deep historical roots in the Dimapur region, dating back to time immemorial. Darogapathar village, established in 1811, was the oldest recognised Garo village in Nagaland and one of the oldest villages in and around Dimapur district, although Garo settlement in the region could date back even further.
It stated that there were currently five Garo villages in Nagaland, all concentrated in Dimapur district: Darogapathar (1811), Eralibill (1910), Dubagaon (1910), Ekranipathar (1942) and Samaguri (1951). Members of the community also resided in Dimapur town, Padumpukhuri village, Chümoukedima district and Kohima district, among other places, even where they did not have separate permanent villages.
NGTC said these settlements reflected the community’s long-standing presence and pointed out that the Garos were constitutionally recognised as a Scheduled Tribe in Nagaland under the Constitution (Nagaland) Scheduled Tribes Order, 1970.
The council said historical identity and constitutional recognition should not be questioned through generalised statements. It emphasised that protecting the rights and identity of indigenous Naga communities should go hand in hand with respecting the history and legitimate rights of other tribal communities.
NGTC urged chief minister and concerned authorities to exercise sensitivity and fairness when making public statements concerning the history, identity and settlement of minority tribal communities. “The Garo community seeks dignity, historical recognition, equal treatment and justice. Our history deserves to be heard, not dismissed or neglected,” they said.