No discriminatory decision will be taken while preparing RIIN: Nagaland govt

The Nagaland government has said it will not take any decision that is discriminatory or goes against the interest of people or any community while preparing the Register of Indigenous Inhabitants of Nagaland (RIIN).

The government has assured the people of the state that it will not take any hasty decision, Home Commissioner of Nagaland R Ramakhrishnan said in a statement issued here on Thursday.

"Rather the process will involve and engage civil society and the citizenry of the state, and no decision that is discriminatory or in contravention of the interest of people or any community will be taken," he added.

With a view to streamline the system of issuance of indigenous inhabitant certificates and to maintain a record of such inhabitants, the state had issued a notification on June 29 for preparing the RIIN, Ramakhrishnan said.

Views, opinions and concerns were expressed by various sections, including civil society groups and the Tribal Hohos, he said, adding that this was a welcome development as such kind of an approach was the basis of any democratic society.

The state government is of the opinion that the present exercise is a new initiative and there is a need for consultations and deliberations with all sections of the society and stakeholders, the home commissioner said.

According to him, the guidelines for the implementation of the policies are still at an early stage of formulation and will be finalised after extensive consultations.

Ramakhrishnan also said the state government will hold consultative meets with all sections of the society and stakeholders so that the exercise is carried out in everybody's interest.

The Nagaland government started the process of preparing a register of all indigenous inhabitants of the north-eastern state from July 10.

On June 29, Ramakhrishnan had issued a notification stating that the exercise would start from July 10 and would be concluded within 60 days.