Table of Contents
The news
- Recently, Rengma Nagas in Assam have written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah demanding creation of an autonomous district council for Renmas.
Why the demand?
Rengma Tribe
- Rengma is a Naga tribe found in Nagaland and Assam.
- According to the 2011 Population Census of India, Rengma population stands at 62,951.
- Rengmas speak Angami–Pochuri language.
- Rengmas celebrate a harvest festival called Ngada.
- Rengmas are experts in terrace cultivation.
- Rengma tribals bury their dead, and place the spear and the shield of the deceased in the grave.
What’s the argument?
- Rengma Naga Peoples’ Council (RNPC), a registered body has written to MoHA saying that Rengmas were the first tribal people in Assam to have encountered the British in 1839.
- They argued that the Rengma Hills were eliminated from the political map of the State and replaced with that of Mikir Hills (now Karbi Anglong) in 1951.
What’s the argument?
- RNPC argues that the Rengma Hills was partitioned in 1963 between Assam and Nagaland at the time of creation of Nagaland State.
- Rengma Hills and Mikir Hills were two separate entities till 1951
- Karbis have no history in the Rengma Hills. People who are presently living in Rengma Hills are from Assam, AP, Nagaland & Meghalaya
- They speak different dialects and do not know Karbi language of Karbi Anglong
- KAAC population is around 12 lakh and the Karbis constitute only 3 lakh, the remaining are non-Karbis, including the Rengma Nagas (around 22,000). We demand a separate legislative seat for Rengmas
Added Complication
Autonomous District Councils
- The Sixth Schedule of the Constitution deals with the administration of the tribal areas in the four northeastern states of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram as per Article 244.
- The Governor of concerned state may, by public notification create or restructure any ADC:
- (a) Include any area.
- (b) exclude any area.
- (c) create a new autonomous district.
- (d) increase the area of any autonomous district.
- (e) diminish the area of any autonomous district.
- (f) alter the name of any autonomous district.
- (g) define the boundaries of any autonomous district.
Autonomous District Councils
- Constitution of District Councils and Regional Councils
- There shall be a District Council for each autonomous district consisting of not more than thirty members, of whom not more than four persons shall be nominated by the Governor and the rest shall be elected on the basis of adult suffrage.
- There shall be a separate Regional Council for each area constituted an autonomous region.
Autonomous District Councils
- Autonomous districts and regional councils (ADCs) are empowered with civil and judicial powers can constitute village courts within their jurisdiction to hear the trial of cases involving the tribes.
- The acts of Parliament or the state legislature do not apply to autonomous districts automatically or apply with specified modifications and exceptions.
- VIthschedule ADCs remain within executive authority of the state and not centre.
Autonomous District Councils
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