Nagaland government assures commission notification soon; CoRRP holds back agitation

KOHIMA — Nagaland government headed by the chief secretary and the 5 Tribes Core Committee on Reservation and Recruitment Policy (CoRRP) on Monday had a meeting over the row concerning the job reservation issue, which the latter had been demanding to be scrapped or reviewed.

The meeting took place at the Chief Secretary's Conference Hall, Nagaland Civil Secretariat, Kohima. The state government representatives were Sentiyanger Imchen, the newly elevated Chief Secretary; Y Kikheto Sema, Principal Secretary, Law and Justice and Fisheries; and Mohammad Ali Shihab, Commissioner & Secretary, Personnel and Administrative Reforms (P&AR).

Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Tesinlo Semy, Convenor of CoRRP, flanked by Capt. GK Zhimomi, Member Secretary of CoRRP, and other members, stated that the meeting was held at the invitation of the chief secretary, wherein the government informed the committee that a Cabinet meeting is scheduled for August 6.

Accordingly, the committee would be informed about the outcome of the Cabinet decisions.

Semy informed that the discussion dwelled on the reservation policy, wherein the government also expressed that due to the change of guard, the matter was on hold.

The convenor revealed that the committee was planning to start its third phase of agitation by August 5; however, at the request of the government and in anticipation of the Cabinet meeting on August 6, it had decided to keep the agitation on hold.

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The committee reiterated its commitment to the core demand and will wait for the outcome of the Cabinet meeting, adding that it would decide its next course of action afterward.

When asked if the state government had constituted a commission to examine the reservation in the state, the committee maintained that the government, in Monday’s meeting, had assured to notify the commission within a fortnight.

Earlier, the ministerial-level meeting headed by Deputy Chief Minister Y Patton met with representatives of the 5 Tribes Core Committee on Reservation and Recruitment Policy (CoRRP) on June 3 and committed to forming a commission, wherein June 17 was agreed upon as the deadline.

The convenor of the committee maintained that due to the change of guard in the government, it could not execute the same but expressed optimism as the new chief secretary has assured the committee.

It was relayed that after the Cabinet meeting, the state government will come up with a comprehensive plan for the composition of the commission.

It may also be mentioned here that Nagaland Cabinet on June 12 had deliberated on the demand of the 5 Tribes Committee regarding the reservation policy and decided to constitute a commission.

Government spokesperson and Minister Temjen Imna Along, on the night of June 12 during a press conference, informed that it would be a 5-member commission headed by two bureaucrats—IAS officers—and would include one member each from CNTC, Tenyimi, and ENPO.

Along also maintained that the chief minister was very clear that persons who would be nominated to the commission should be discussed with the respective people so that no one feels deprived.

"The idea of the commission is not to take away the reservation or put more reservation or anything like that," Along added.