On the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, the Nagaland Voluntary Consumer’s Organisation (NVCO) emphasized the vital importance of Article 371A of the Indian Constitution in preserving the rights of Naga indigenous inhabitants. NVCO President Kezhokhoto Savi highlighted that Article 371A is crucial for safeguarding the Naga way of life, including control over land and resources. Savi reiterated that under the Nagaland Land and Revenue Regulation (Amendment) Act of 1978, land ownership in Nagaland is restricted to indigenous Naga inhabitants.
Savi cited a 2020 incident where the Chakhroma Public Organisation (CPO) alleged that non-indigenous individuals were illegally acquiring land in Dimapur, violating the 1978 act. He expressed growing concern over the illegal ownership of land and businesses by non-indigenous individuals, criticizing the state government for its perceived inaction and the issuance of land pattas to non-indigenous individuals, contrary to existing regulations.
To address these issues, NVCO has urged village and colony chairmen to withhold certificates that could aid non-indigenous individuals in obtaining Indigenous Inhabitants Certificates and called for a halt to the adoption of non-indigenous persons or children to prevent misuse of indigenous status. NVCO also condemned local legislators who supported the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) and those who permitted non-indigenous individuals to be appointed to government positions. The organization questioned the state government’s effectiveness in enforcing the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation (BEFR) of 1873 (Inner Line Regulation) amid reports of non-Nagas and illegal Bangladeshi immigrants controlling significant market portions in Nagaland.
