Excluding minority Chakmas from category-I will be legally untenable: Chakma Forum

Shillong, September 27, 2014: Chakma Law Forum (CLF), the rights and legal interests of the Chakma community a platform has questioned and condemned the decision of the state government for giving in and agreeing in principle to the unreasonable and unconstitutional demand of the Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP) to exclude Chakmas from the Category-I of (the Selection of candidates for Higher Technical Courses ) Rules 1999 and adding the term ‘Mizo” to the Rules to automatically exclude Chakmas from the purview of the Rules.

The Forum asserted that the Chakmas are also indigenous of the state having been natives of the Western parts of the state since time immemorial.

It has questioned the historical and legal foundation/basis of the MZP’s assumption and understanding of the idea of Mizos being the only ‘indigenous peoples of the state”.

The Forum sought to remind that the concept of ‘indigenous peoples’ in the Indian context is neither formally defined nor established and all Scheduled tribes are understood to be indigenous and questioned the unsound distinction made by the MZP.

Dilip Kanti Chakma, President of Chakma Law Forum, in an statement which was also sent to the Chief Secretary of Mizoram, Office of the Chief Minister, The Ministry of Home Affairs, National Commission for Minorities and to the media, has stated that “Any move to facilitate such blatant denial and deprivation of equal opportunities by the state will not only be unfair and unjust but also unconstitutional. Let the government of Mizoram proceed with its plan to bring amendment to the existing rules to exclude the Chakmas from Category-I as demanded by the MZP. We will challenge the validity and constitutionality of such an action”.

Source: The Shillong Times