Dima Hasao bodies against ST (Hills) status

HAFLONG, Aug 31 - Representatives of several student organisations of Dima Hasao district, including All Dimasa Students’ Union, met Jual Oram, Union Tribal Welfare Minister, and Kiren Rijiju, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, in New Delhi on Wednesday.

They submitted a memorandum to both the ministers with the request not to include the Bodo Kachari tribe living in the hill districts of Assam into the ST (Hills) category. These organisations also demanded the direct allotment of funds by the Centre to the NC Hills Autonomous Council.

In the memorandum, the indigenous tribal organisations of Dima Hasao district aired their grievances over the recent announcement in the Rajya Sabha about the move to include the Bodo Kacharis living in the two hill districts of Dima Hasao and Karbi Anglong in the ST (Hills) list.

Dima Hasao and Karbi Anglong are the most backward districts of Assam which have a long way to go to be on a par with the other districts of the State in terms of development.

The basic structure of an autonomous council for both districts is meant to safeguard the rights and self-determination of the tribal population under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian constitution. However, it is important that political aspirations and the tribal movements of other districts should not infringe on the basic rights and the tribal administration in Dima Hasao and Karbi Anglong.

Maintaining this, the Dima Hasao organisations are opposing the reported government move and seeking an amicable solution to the issue for the protection of the indigenous tribal people of the two hill districts of Assam.

These organisations also sought the all-round development of Dima Hasao district and various tribes living in it, and called for direct funding from the Central Government to the NC Hills Autonomous Council.