Nillo Rengma
The Rengma Hills (now in Assam) was created on 18th April 1841. Later, the Naga Hills District was created in 1866 by incorporating Rengma Hills with Samaguting (Chümoukedima) as its headquarters.
Tribes under Naga Hills District:
The tribes under Naga Hills district were Angami, Zeliang, Rengma, Eastern Angami (now Chakhesang) , Eastern Rengma (now Pochury), Lotha, Sema (Sumi) Ao, Cachari, Garo and Kuki. After the creation of Mokokchung Sub-division (C), Ao, Sema and Lotha were placed under Mokokchung Sub-division, and the rest of the tribes were placed under Kohima Sadar and there was no other administrative headquarters in Naga Hills, besides Deputy Commissioner, Kohima and SDO (C) Mokokchung.
Creation of Bench Court Chairman:
In order to assist these two administrative headquarters – Kohima and Mokokchung, the Government of Assam created the post of Bench Court Chairman (equivalent to 2nd class magistrate) for the following Naga tribes.
1. Bench Court Chairman, Wokha -1945 (now a district)
2. Bench Court Chairman, Zunheboto - 1947 (now a district)
3. Bench Court Chairman, Tseminyu - 1948 (same status)
4. Bench Court Chairman, Peren - 1949 (now a district)
5. S.D.O (civil) Mokokchung - 1890 (now a district)
6. Naga Hills district headquarters, Kohima - 1878 (now Nagaland state Capital)
In the early years, Tseminyu (Rengma) region was the 5th administrative headquarter to be set up but still it remains the same even after seventy four years.
Rengma participation and contribution for common Naga causes:
1. Naga Club 1918: When the Naga Labor corps returned from France in June 1918 and formed the Naga Club in 1918 to protect and safeguard Naga interests, Nrilo Rengma, DB, was one of the founder members of the Club.
2. Simon Commission 1929: When the Simon Commission came to Kohima and held a public meeting at the public ground on 10th January 1929, the members of Naga Club submitted a Memorandum to Sir John Simon where Resilo Rengma, DB, was one of the signatories of the Memorandum.
3. Formation of Naga Hills District Tribal Council (NHDTC) 1945: When CR Pawsey Deputy Commissioner of Naga Hills, Kohima, advised Naga leaders to form Naga tribal council to protect and safeguard Naga interests, the Naga leaders, mostly Government servants met at Kohima in April 1945 and formed the Naga Hills District Tribal Council (NHDTC) and P Sentsi Rengma became the joint Secretary of NHDTC. The NHDTC was the second Naga organization to work for Naga common cause.
4. Formation of NNC 1946: NHDTC held its second meeting in June 1946 at Wokha and changed its nomenclature to Naga National Council with the same office-bearers of NHDTC retained except its president Mayangnokcha Ao who resigned and in his place T Aliba was elected. In this meeting, Whenha Rengma was elected as one of the executive members of NNC who later became the first Ato Kilonser, Federal Government of Nagaland.
5. Sir Akbar Hydari Agreement 1947: Sir Akbar Hydari, the Governor of Assam came to Kohima and held discussions with NNC leaders from 26th to 28th June 1947 and he signed the 9- Point agreement with the NNC. Whenha Rengma was there in the talks as one of the NNC delegates from the Rengma tribe.
6. Naga delegation to Delhi 1947: In July 1947, NNC held its meeting at Mokokchung and passed a resolution to send Naga delegation to Delhi to negotiate with Indian leaders regarding the Naga issue. The first Naga delegation led by AZ Phizo and T Sakhrie met Mahatma Gandhi on 19th July 1947 at Delhi. Again, the second Naga delegation with Longri Ao as their spokesman had a meeting with Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru on 2nd August 1947. P Sentsi Rengma was there in the second Naga delegation as Rengma tribe representative.
7. Declaration of Naga Independence: When both Naga delegations returned home from Delhi, they held several consultative meetings with Naga leaders and elders at Kohima for a week. Nagas finally decided to declare Naga Independence a day ahead of India. On 14th August 1947, at sunrise, NNC leaders, Naga leaders and elders gathered at Mission Compound, Kohima, and declared Naga Independence by hoisting a symbolic Naga national flag. Rengma leaders including P Sentsi, Whenha Rengma, Hophega Rengma, Nnolo Tep etc. took active part in the ceremony.
8. Naga Plebiscite 1951: Rengmas took active part and fully supported Naga sovereignty.
9. Declaration of Federal Government of Nagaland 1956: On 22nd March 1956, the Naga national flag was hoisted at Parashen in Rengma area by Thungdi Chang, Chief of the Naga Homeguards (now Naga Army). Immediately the 3rd Bihar Regiment of the Indian Army began its furious operation against the innocent villagers by burning villages, rice granaries and killing the innocent public in Rengma area. Killings and burning of villages became everyday affairs, thereby, the villagers lived in the jungle for a year.
10. Naga People’s Convention (NPC) and Sixteen Point Agreement: NPC proposed for formation of a separate administrative unit by merging Tuensang Division of NEFA with Naga Hills District which was agreed by the Government of India, and the new Administrative unit was called Naga Hills Tuensang Area (NHTA) with effect from 1st December 1957. Daniel Kent and P Sentsi were Rengma tribe representatives to NPC.
NPC delegation led by its president Dr Imkongliba Ao met Jawaharlal Nehru, the Prime Minister of India on 26th July 1960 at Delhi and placed their demand. They signed the agreement on 29th July 1960 for Nagaland Statehood. Sentsi Rengma was there in the N.P.C. delegation and signed the agreement as Rengma tribe representative.
No provision in India can deny Tseminyu the status of a district:
There’s no provision anywhere in India that a one Assembly seat Sub-division cannot be upgraded to a district. I would like to cite some districts having only one Assembly seat for our reference:
1. In Manipur state, Jiribam district has only one Assembly seat (Jiribam A/C) and its population is 43,838 as per general census of India 2011.
2. In Arunachal Pradesh, Anjaw district has only one Assembly seat- Hayuliang A/C and its population is 21,089.
3. In Assam, Dima Hasao district, has only one Assembly seat- Halflong A/C and its population is 2,14,102.
4. In Telangana, Wanaparthy district has only one Assembly seat-Wanaparthy A/C and its population is 57,549.
5. In Himachal Pradesh, Lahaul & Spiti district has only one Assembly seat-Lahaul and Spiti A/C (ST) and its population is 31,528.
6. In Gujarat, Dang district has only one Assembly seat-Dang A/C (ST) and its population is 2,26,769.
7. In Bihar, Sheohar district has only one Assembly seat-Sheohar A/C and its population is 6,556,246.
Conclusion:
From the formation of Naga Hills District in1866 till 1st December 1963, the Rengmas were there in the forefront. Regarding Tseminyu district demand, the Rengmas more than deserve a district as a matter of right. Since all the other districts in the state have been formed based purelyon “tribal lines” there’s no reason that Tseminyu cannot be granted one.
