Nagaland reservation row: Five tribes to stage protest over lack of policy review

• DIMAPUR — The Five Tribes Committee on Review of Reservation Policy has announced that it will begin the first phase of peaceful protests on May 29, following the expiry of a 30-day ultimatum issued to the Nagaland government on April 26.
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• The committee had earlier submitted a memorandum on September 20, 2024, seeking a review of the state’s reservation policy, but claims that no response has been received from the government to date.
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• The committee—comprising the Angami Public Organisation, Ao Senden, Lotha Hoho, Rengma Hoho, and Sumi Hoho—said in a press release on Monday that the first phase of protest will involve a march to the Deputy Commissioner’s office in each district inhabited by the five tribes.
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• “There will be a protest march to the DC office in respective districts, and an ultimatum reminder to the government of Nagaland will be submitted through the deputy commissioner,” it stated.

Related: Five Nagaland tribes set to launch protests over Reservation Policy

• Urging the public, particularly youth and students, to participate, the committee said the demonstration is in response to what it described as “48 years of indefinite reservation policy” in Nagaland, during which various review committees have “never addressed the concerns of non-backward tribes.”
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• At a press conference held earlier on May 24 in Chümoukedima, the committee reiterated that it is not against any community benefiting from reservation but is calling for a timely and fair review of a policy that has remained unchanged since its inception in 1977.
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• The committee’s members highlighted that the reservation policy was initially introduced for a period of 10 years but was extended indefinitely through a government order issued in 1989. They contended that issues such as internal reservation, duration of reservation, multiple benefits, and the concept of a creamy layer have been repeatedly raised but remain unaddressed.
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• Committee members also expressed dissatisfaction over conflicting statements from state officials. While some have suggested that the policy review can only take place after the national Census is conducted, others have indicated that the issue is under active consideration. The committee has argued that, with the Census already delayed since 2021, it is unreasonable to continue waiting indefinitely.
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• At the time, the committee also stated that if there is still no response from the government, it would proceed with a second phase of protest involving a peaceful dharna at the Nagaland Secretariat in Kohima.