NEW DELHI: The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) has issued a no objection certificate to the Centre in considering the Arunachal Pradesh government’s proposal to amend the list of Scheduled Tribes of the State. The Arunachal government had proposed doing away with the category ‘any Naga’ tribe and instead recognising the tribes of Nocte, Tangsa, Tutsa and Wancho. It has argued that this would be in the larger interest of people belonging to these tribes.
According to the minutes of the meeting there are no other tribes “under the umbrella of any Naga tribe”. So, the “state government’s proposal to replace Naga tribes with Nocte, Tangsa, Tutsa and Wancho should be accepted,” the state government has proposed which the NCST has now given a no objection certificate to. The State government has also proposed the deletion of Abor tribe from its list of Scheduled Tribes claiming there is no such tribe there. Among the other amendments, the state government has also proposed, replacing the tribes of Khampti, from its list and replacing them with Tai Khamti.
The entity of Momba - another categorised Scheduled Tribe in the list should be replaced with the terms Monpa, Memba, Sartang and Sajolong, according to the proposal. According to the modalities, the state government has to refer the proposal Register General of India and NCST before it is sent to the Cabinet.“The proposals of the Arunachal Pradesh government for the deletion of Abor tribe looks hurried and the ground consequences may not be favourable.
The state government has declared that there are no tribes by the name of Abor, Khampti, and Momba in the state and so the proposed amendments should be approved.
Deeper look needed
Proposals of the Arunachal Pradesh government for the deletion of Abor tribe looks hurried and the ground consequences may not be favourable. A more thorough ground assessment should have been taken so that certain tribals are not disadvantaged.