Rengma Nagas Demand Autonomous Council
Source : The Hindu
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Why in News ?
Rengma Nagas in Assam have written to demanding an autonomous district council amid a decision by the Central and the State governments to upgrade the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) into a territorial council.
Key Facts
- What is the demand ?
- Rengma Naga Peoples’ Council (RNPC) in the memorandum that the Rengmas were the first tribal people in Assam to have encountered the British in 1839.
- The existing Rengma Hills was eliminated from the political map of the State and replaced with that of Mikir Hills (now Karbi Anglong) in 1951.
- During the Burmese invasions of Assam in 1816 and 1819, it was the Rengmas who gave shelter to the Ahom refugees.
- Rengma Hills was partitioned in 1963 between Assam and Nagaland at the time of creation of Nagaland State and the Karbis, who were known as Mikirs till 1976, were the indigeneous tribal people of Mikir Hills.
- 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, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya.
- They speak different dialects and do not know Karbi language of Karbi Anglong.
- Rengma Naga Peoples’ Council (RNPC) in the memorandum that the Rengmas were the first tribal people in Assam to have encountered the British in 1839.
- Issues Raised
- More than 3,000 Rengma Nagas were forced to relocate to relief camps in 2013 after several people were killed in a series of attacks following a call given by a Karbi insurgent group.
Autonomous District Council
- Sixth Schedule, the four states Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram contain the Tribal Areas which are technically different from the Scheduled Areas.
- Provision has been made for the creation of the District Councils and regional councils for the exercise of the certain legislative and judicial powers.
- Governor may by public notification has the authority to modify divide the boundaries.
Article 371A of the Constitution
- Enacted in 1963, confers special provisions on Nagaland.
- No Act of Parliament in respect of religious or social practices of the Nagas,Naga customary law and procedure, administration of civil and criminal justice involving decisions according to Naga customary law, ownership and transfer of land and its resources, shall apply to the State of Nagaland unless the Legislative Assembly of Nagaland by a resolution so decides.
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