5 Naga bodies protest against Nagaland's job reservation policy

Kohima, May 29 Braving inclement weather, five major Naga tribes on Thursday held protest rallies in various districts of Nagaland, demanding a review of the state's job reservation policy.

The protests were carried out by the ‘5 Tribes Committee on Review of Reservation Policy (CORRP)’, formed in 2023 to spearhead the agitation to press for job reservation for these tribes – Angami, Ao, Lotha, Rengma, and Sumi - also.

A spokesman of the agitating CORRP said that the organisation had given a memorandum on September 20 last year and an ultimatum on April 26 to the state government, but the government is yet to take any steps to review the state's job reservation policy.

"Left with no other alternative, we have started our agitation in a most democratic manner to draw the attention of the state government and highlight our demands," the spokesman said.

He said that if the government did not respond to their demands, the CORRP would intensify its agitation.

A state government official said that the Nagaland government on May 7 formed a committee to examine and submit a report on the policy for reservation in government jobs within three months.

Meanwhile, amidst the CORRP agitation, the state government has decided to hold a meeting with the CORRP on June 3 in Kohima, he said.

The proposed meeting, to be chaired by Deputy Chief Minister Yanthungo Patton, who holds the Home and Border Affairs portfolios, would discuss the policy on reservation in government employment, the official said.

The Nagaland government had implemented the 1977 reservation policy for Backward Tribes (BT) and initially, 25 per cent jobs were reserved for seven tribes in non-technical and non-gazetted posts for a period of 10 years.

These tribes were designated as backward, based on their educational and economic disadvantage and limited representation in state services. However, over the years, the reservation has since increased to 37 per cent, with 25 per cent for seven eastern Nagaland tribes and 12 per cent for four other BT tribes.

CORRP comprises five Naga tribe organisations -- the Angami Public Organisation, the Ao Senden, the Lotha Hoha, the Rengma Hoho, and the Sumi Hohoon, representing the five tribal communities.

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