New Delhi: In a bid to assure the Nagas in Arunachal Pradesh regarding their long-pending demand for providing the Scheduled Tribe status, the central government has decided to initiate the process with the very first step of naming the tribes in a proper and documented manner as it has been vaguely referred to in the ST list.
As per the government, proper naming of the tribes and including them in the ST list is a step towards undermining the National Socialist Council of Nagaland. The NSCN-IM demands of Nagalim or Greater Nagaland, comprising all Naga-inhabited areas around Nagaland.
Reportedly, the tribal affairs ministry has cleared the decks for removing the reference “any Naga tribes” from the ST list of Arunachal Pradesh and replacing it with the names of Nocte, Tangsa, Tutsa and Wancho tribes.
As per the Home Ministry, this step would put an end to the NSCN-IM’s demand for a separate Naga-dominated Nagalim, extending to other states of Assam, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh.
Following its implication, the government would amend the ST list and would not recognize Arunachal Pradesh tribes as “Naga” but with their specific names.
Sources within the ministry said that according to the norms, any state government will have to first send a proposal for inclusion, exclusion or any other amendment to the existing names of tribes in the ST list.
The ministry after having an observation on the proposal would then forward the proposal to the Registrar General of India (RGI) for further examination and if it is approved by the RGI, the proposal is then sent to the National Commission Scheduled Tribe (NCST).
Then the ministry prepares a constitutional amendment bill to incorporate the changes in the ST list and takes it to Parliament following approval of the cabinet.
As per reports, the tribal affairs ministry has already in its last stages of finishing up the entire process and already forwarded the proposal to NCST for approval on July 25, last.
Following that, the NCST then sent its in-principle approval to the ministry in August. In September, the proposal was formally approved.
It may be mentioned that according to the approved proposal, the tribe Khampti has been included as Tai Khamti. Three tribes (Mishmi, Idu, Taraon) have been expanded to include Mushmi-Kaman (Miju Mishmi), Idu (Mishmi) and Taraon (Digaru Mishmi). Instead of just one tribe name of Momba, more have been included – Monpa, Memba, Sartang and Sajolong (miji).