Dimapur, April 9 (MExN): A ‘former Ex-MLA’ of Tseminyu town, Viyekha Aponza today appealed to the Delimitation Commission of India and associated members of the state Delimitation Committee ‘to consent the Rengma tribe and Angami tribe as the two tribes belong to the same district’ and at the same time appealed not to ignore the rightful demand of the Rengmas.
A press statement received here from the Ex MLA of Tseminyu Town, Viyekha Aponza, while appealing to the delimitation commission of Nagaland, stated that the widespread declaration of delimitation has become propaganda, cherished illusion and delusion for Nagas as hollow mockery with many Naga tribals, Hohos, ‘NGOs demanding for delimitation. And suffice it to say that the claim of the Rengmas is not on compassionate grounds but a genuine one,’ stated the ex MLA.
Giving his own point of view of the 2001 census which has been rejected by the state government, the release stated that ‘it is a logical demand with a case of fifty three thousand above souls of population according to 2001 census which will increase in figure in the coming election 2008’.
Giving a brief history of the formation of the assembly constituencies in the state, the release stated that ‘in the inception when the interim Government was established in 1961, the 12 A/C Tseminyu was provided with two A/Cs with late Riga Thong and Lothi Semy as the interim body members basing upon the proposition of the population’. ‘However when the full fledged Government was declared in 1963 one seat was deleted from the 12 A/C Tseminyu without considering of the merits and demerits by some vested politicians and mostly by bureaucrats apathy who play a partisan role and acted towards one party policy,’ the release added.
In the light of this the release stated that as a result of this ‘the Rengmas have been victims of the lost seat and facing setback in various developmental works and welfare over the years, with such state of retrogression. Whereas it is glaring in the eyes of the public that in some A/C the voters are below 10,000 without considering the jurisdiction like Meluri (Pochury) once known as eastern Rengma Nagas basing on history’.
The release stated that ‘Rengma has a vast area of land from Rengma pani (river). Voters under 12 A/C Tseminyu between Kohima and Wokha district conspicuously stretch to Mikir Hills which was once the Rengma Hills declared by the British Government and still the western Rengma are living there with its centre in Zunpha, the disparity is great enough’.
The release also stated that ‘it is not an exaggeration to say that the Rengma is one of the advanced tribes in Nagaland. According to population we have high literacy rate so we cannot be fooled and remain as a laughing stock again’.
Giving out all his opinions and views, the ex MLA appealed to the Delimitation Commission of India and associated members of the state Delimitation Committee to consent the Rengma tribe and Angami tribe as they belong to the same district and not to ignore their rightful demand, as the political set up the Rengmas have been playing the vital role in all political struggles and its achievement and also have rendered equally hard labour and played no lesser part than any other tribe.
“From the political points of view the Rengmas deserve the attention of all sensitive politicians who have political sagacity” the release concluded.
