SILCHAR, July 28: The Dimasa apex body, Jadike Naike Hasom (JNH), has expressed its resentment over the Cabinet subcommitee’s proposal for not changing the nomenclature of the district to Dima Hasao Raji. In the backdrop of population pattern in the NC Hills, the demand for the change of nomenclature of the district to Dima Hasao Raji was not justified, the concerned cabinet subcommittee suggested in its report to the Chief Minister.
State Urban Development Minister Dinesh Prasad Goala who is also a member of the subcommittee reportedly said this.
He said NC Hills is a multi-ethnic district, hence, nomenclature suggesting a particular tribe as majority might lead to civil disturbances. Other two members of the subcommittee are Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarmah and Forest Minister Rockybul Hussain.
The Dimasa community in the NC Hills do not constitute to 50 per cent of the total population and hence they cannot be termed as a majority community, the document reportedly suggested.
JNH chief Jidung Naiding told The Sentinel that after the ASDC-BJP led alliance took charge of the Autonomous Council, the decision to change the nomenclature was democratically accepted.
All the ethnic tribes, except the Zeme Nagas, agreed to the suggestion and on the basis of consensus decision, a proposal was sent to the State government, though no definite new name for the district was not proposed, added Naiding.
He said, collective population of Zeme Nagas, Hrankhol, Hmar, Baite, Kuki, Karbi was at least 9,000 less than the total population of the Dimasa Community in the NC Hills.
Even Himanta Biswa Sarmah while visiting the district to review the proposal personally told the JNH chief that their demand was justified, added Naiding. He said that the government had, in 1976, changed the nomenclature of the district to Karbi Anglong though Karbies were not an absolute majority in the district.
Naiding did not rule out political motive behind the suggestion made by the cabinet subcommittee. (Source – Sentinel)