Assam: Resentment over change of nomenclature of East Rengma Mouza

BOKAJAN: Rengma Naga People’s Council (RNPC) of Karbi Anglong has opposed the move of the Sarkari Gaon Burah Association to abolish the name of ‘East Rengma Mouza’ and rechriste it as ‘East Mouza’, stating that the Gaon Burah Association has no authority to change the name of the mouza which had been granted by the erstwhile British government to the community in 1861.

The RNPC also demanded immediate action from the Assam Government and the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) against the Gaon Burah Association, which celebrated its first anniversary recently. The RNPC questioned the authority of the Goan Burah Association to change the nomenclature of the mouza.

Addressing a press conference at Silonijan on Tuesday, RNPC president Kenilo Rengma and publicity secretary Chenobu Rengma said, “Rengma Hills was created by the British government on April 18, 1841. In 1848, the first revenue settlement concluded with 32 villages. Rengma Hills was divided into two mouzas- East Rengma Mouza and West Rengma Mouza - by the British government through revenue proceeding No. 116 to 118 in 1861. In 1870, the deputy commissioner of Naga Hills, Captain Butler appointed two Rengma mouzadars for East Rengma Mouza and West Rengma Mouza for revenue collection.”

“Rengma Hills was transferred to Naga Hills district in 1867 but was again transferred to Nagaon district of Assam in 1898 for administrative convenience. Rengma Reserve Forest was transferred to Golaghat subdivision (now district) of erstwhile Sivasagar district in 1887,” they said.

“After the Independence, the Assam Government allowed some refugees and ex-servicemen, including foreign nationals, Nepalese, and Bangladeshis to settle in Rengma Reserve Forest and since then the reserve forest has turned into an encroachment hub. More than eight villages have been set up since encroachment started in this reserve forest in 1979,” they also said.

“Despite all this historical evidence, which proves that Rengmas are the original settlers of this land, the Sarkari Gaon Bura Association has changed the nomenclature of the mouza by abolishing the word Rengma,” they further said. The association also urged the Assam government and the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) to take legal action against the association and reinstate the name of the mouza immediately.

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