Consultative Meeting on RIIN

Nagaland, April 15th 2021

PDA govt calling for another consultative meeting with various apex tribe organizations on Register of Indigenous Inhabitants of Nagaland (RIIN) is total sham. It also represents the directionless objective of PDA govt that is unable to conclude and implement what it started off nearly two years ago when it constituted Commission on RIIN headed by Mrs Banuo Z Jamir.

Since the Commission on RIIN during the course of its assigned work had carried out extensive consultations with various stakeholders of Nagaland to compile and complete its report that has already been submitted to the state govt, there is no reason for further delay in taking a decision on the report.

Convening another consultative meeting on 16th April 2021 after the Commission on RIIN had submitted its report is akin to putting the cart before the horse and is yet another attempt to delay and deny justice to the people of Nagaland.

PDA govt should not attempt to override the interest of the people by imposing ‘Cleverly Worded Resolution’ to shelve implementation of RIIN and tacitly shift responsibility on the stakeholders invited to the meeting. The stakeholders comprising of various tribe hohos who are being invited to the meeting must be very careful of the govt’s intention and should not succumb to theatrics that will be rolled out.

The failure of PDA govt to even invite consensus from other political parties in the state on RIIN speaks volumes about their hidden agenda that is detrimental to the people of Nagaland. In its lust for power, PDA govt is prepared to appease and open floodgates for all outsiders to settle in Nagaland.

The founding fathers of the state were farsighted enough to draw up protective systems for our people. Unfortunately, the present govt is already dismantling the very protective systems that have sustained our way of life and gave us unique identity as a state within the Indian Union.

We reiterate that the PDA govt must implement the Commission on RIIN Report with cut-off year as 01/12/1963 rather than engage in distractions and delaying tactics to prolong its stay in power. The interest of the people of Nagaland and its future generations cannot be bartered or sacrificed for the interest of PDA govt.

Issued by:
Communications Department,
NPCC (Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee)