DIPHU, Feb 23 � The Rengma Naga People�s Conference (RNPC) and Rengma Students� Union, in a press release, have reiterated their joint demand for a Government-nominated member to the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) from the Rengma Naga tribe of Karbi Anglong.
The demand was made by these frontal organisations of the Rengma Nagas through a memorandum to the Chief Executive Member of KAAC recently. The memo pointed out that the Rengma Nagas are sons of the soil and have every right to represent its people in the house of the KAAC.
Chento H Rengma, general secretary of RNPC, while informing the press, said that �it is regrettable that the Rengma Nagas have no representation in the KAAC since a decade. The matter deserves to be considered on priority basis.�
The Rengma Nagas� apex body believes that the 6th Schedule of the Indian Constitution has the provision of giving representation to the unrepresented indigenous tribes living within the autonomous council region which was created in 1952. �The Rengma Nagas deserve the Constitutionally-given right since we have been recognised by the Constitution as part of the 6th Schedule of the Constitution,� said Chento H Rengma.
Meanwhile, other small 6th Schedule tribes of the district like Kuki, Garo and Khasi Pnar have also demanded their share in the KAAC on the grounds that they are not in a position to send elected representatives to the council.
It is learnt from a reliable source that KAAC Chief Executive Member Joy Ram Engleng has already prepared a list of representatives from Bengali, Tea Tribe, Garo and Nepali communities for submission to the Governor for his approval as nominated MACs of the KAAC.
