What's In A Name? A Lot In Divided' Dima Hasao

By Anup Sharma

Haflong, Apr 2 : It's difficult to say if the government had ever thought that its decision to change the name of North Cachar Hills to Dima Hasao might polarize voters in the district to such an extent that a huge section of the electorate would threaten to stay away from the April electoral battle.

The Dima Hasao pollscape is not only divided with the Dimasas on one side and the non-Dimasas on the other, the latter is furious with Dispur for "succumbing" to the Dimasa militants' pressure (for changing the district's name) and raring to teach the Tarun Gogoi government a lesson.

This is for the first time that the non-Dimasas have got together, formed a platform of their own, called the Indigenous Peoples' Forum (IPF), and threatened to boycott the polls in protest against the government for allegedly not fulfilling their demands.

Though the IPF initially planned to put up a consensus candidate from among the non-Dimasa communities, including the Hmars, the Zeme Nagas, the Kukis, the Baites, the Hrangkhols, the Jaintias, the Karbis and the Rongmais, it later decided to boycott the elections. The root of their anger lies with the government's decision to change the name of North Cachar Hills to Dima Hasao last year. Since then, they have been seeking bifurcation of the district into two one for the Dimasas and the other for the non-Dimasas in accordance with Articles 244(2) and 275(1) of the Sixth Schedule.

Considering the population pattern of the district, the IPF's tough stance to boycott the elections is bound to stun all parties seeking vote in this tribal belt. While the Dimasas constitute about 35 per cent of the total electoral roll, the remaining 65 per cent are the non-Dimasas.

Seiminthang Thangngew, general secretary of the Indigenous Students' Federation (ISF) and a prominent member of the IPF, says: "All the non-Dimasa communities are with us and we have decided to boycott the polls this time. When the Congress-headed council decided to change NC Hills' name to Dima Hasao, we had protested the decision. However, the administration did not pay any heed to us. The government christened NC Hills as Dima Hasao only to please one community the Dimasa. But this was a injustice to us as we are also the aboriginals."

The constituency is likely to see a triangular contest between the Congress, the BJP and the ASDC this time. While the Congress has fielded sitting MLA G C Langthasa, BJP has put up young and dynamic leader Kulendra Daulagupu. On the other hand, the Autonomous State Demand Committee (ASDC) has fielded Mohet Hojai, who was chargesheeted by the NIA for his alleged involvement in diversion of development funds of the NC Hills Autonomous Council to Dima Hasao Daogah ( Jewel) militants, popularly called Black Widows. At present, Hojai is lodged in Guwahati Central Jail.

Sources in the AGP said Langthasa was "mainly banking on money power and the support of the DHD's Dilip Nunisa faction". "There's a strong anti-incumbency factor against Langthasa in the district and the Congress is a divided house in the district. He may also exploit the machinery of the autonomous council as it is in power," an AGP insider said.

Keeping in mind the recent unification of the non-Dimasa communities in the district, the AGP has put up a candidate from the Zeme Naga community Ijirangde Jemi. Though he was once the IPF's spokesman in the district, the organization expelled him for 10 years after he decided to fight the election on an AGP ticket. "The people in the district are waiting for a change of guard. I think I will win the elections. I hope that the IPF will withdraw its boycott order and support me. I have told them that we will not gain anything by boycotting the elections. If we need a change, all of us will have to be a part of the election process," he said.

Similarly, the BJP candidate for the election also sounded confident about his win. "People know me and are aware about my commitment towards the development of the backward and troubled district. I have not given in to corruption in the district and that is the reason I am the only opposition MAC in the Congress-ruled council," said Daulagupu.

On the other hand, the ASDC is banking on its ongoing campaign for an autonomous state. Locals said the ASDC decided to give ticket to Hojai as many in the district still believe that Dispur made him a scapegoat to cover up alleged involvement of some of Tarun Gogoi's cabinet colleagues in the multi-crore funds scam.