Kohima: Nagaland’s Rising People’s Party (RPP) on Monday urged the state government to revoke the appointment of one Abdul Kayum Talukdar from the position of Gaon Bura of New Market in Dimapur.
Gaon Buras are village headmen who act as custodians of the Naga customary laws and practices in the villages.
“That a non-indigenous person of doubtful ancestry can be appointed as a Gaon Bura (GB) is nothing short of outrage. The state government should immediately revoke the appointment of one as GB of New Market, Dimapur, now in the eye of a storm for his alleged involvement in an issue where Naga patta holders were apparently threatened in Assam. His appointment is illegal and an insult to all Nagas,” the RPP said through an official release.
The RPP’s message, it stated, is clear that “There can be no ‘miya’ GB in the state”.
At a time when illegal immigration of IBIs into the state is a time bomb posing the greatest threat to Naga identity, the party said that Talukdars being conferred as GB is a direct threat to the Naga identity.
“Unless the state government revokes his appointment it can be safely assumed that the government is directly responsible for facilitating illegal immigration into the state. As a GB, Talukdar is empowered to issue Residential Proof Certificates (RPC) and it’s everyone’s guess as to how many RPCs he may have issued thus far to people of doubtful ancestry,” the party said.
It urged the district administration of Dimapur to check all the RPCs issued by Talukdar since his GBship, and declare such as null and void and thereafter cancel all the subsequent birth certificates, driving licenses, and trade licenses issued to such persons with immediate effect.
“The question in everyone’s mind is who or which authority directed the appointment of Talukdar? The Commissioner, Nagaland, should furnish answers to the Naga people,” the party said.
According to the party, the various GB associations, who acts as custodians of Naga customary laws and tradition, should remove Talukdar from their union membership, and also prevail upon the state government to revoke his appointment.
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“The people of Karbi Anglong should also realise that both Nagas and Karbis have a common enemy. The Assam government’s insidious policy of pushing and encouraging settlement of IBIs in Nagaland border areas is not only detrimental to the Nagas but the indigenous population of Karbi Anglong as well,” said the RPP.
The RPP strongly appealed to both the KAAC and the Nagaland government to jointly tackle the issue before it’s too late.
“There can be no compromise on this issue. The RPP, as a regional party formed to protect the interests of Nagaland will leave no stone unturned to pursue the case till Talukdar is removed as GB,” it added.
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