Mizoram: CNCI demands white paper on Chakma Census
KAMALANAGAR: The decision of the CYMA to go ahead with their resolve to conduct census on the Chakmas as learnt from a report of the Vanglaini issue dated 11.5.2015 has upset the Chakmas.
"To single out the Chakmas as a community for subject to census without genuine ground and that also by a non-state entity is but a humiliation and assault to their dignity as human being. Chakmas are equal citizen of Mizoram and they deserve equal treatment in all respects from the State Government," the Chakma National Council of India said in a statement released.
It is quite normal for a duty bound citizen to get alarmed by any events/incidents of abnormal nature. However, it does not legitimize someone or for that matter any non-state entity to take the law into their hand. What the rule book warrants is to approach the concerned legitimate authority and urge them to address the issue.
"The Government of Mizoram should come up with a clear stand on the resolve made by CYMA to go ahead with their illegitimate exercise to conduct census on the Chakmas who are also equal citizen of Mizoram and whether Mizoram Government is not duty bound to enforce the rule of Law?" they said.
Time and again the Chakma issue has reared up its ugly head and yet there has been a conspicuous lack of action and policy to resolve the issue for once and all on the parts of the Government. Ultimately, the sufferers are the minority Chakmas. As a result this has contributed to build up a trust deficit between the two communities and which is not healthy for the overall development of the State, observed CNCI.
"CNCI is clueless as to what has caused the urgency to suddenly jump on to such an exercise to conduct census on the Chakmas. What is the justification, the CYMA has decided to take up the census of the Chakmas? Whether, the CYMA have been alarmed by any evidence confirming about the abnormal growth of the Chakmas in Mizoram?" they said.
The perceived abnormal growth rate of the Chakmas may be put to rest by the given table showing the growth rate of the Chakmas sourced from Mizoram at a Glance 2001 published by Directorate of Economics & Statistics, Mizoram. There is nothing abnormal about their growth rate if juxtaposed with that of the rest population of Mizoram.
Comparison of the Chakmas population of Mizoram vis a vis rest of the population of Mizoram after India's Independence
| YEAR | TOTAL POPULATION OF MIZORAM | CHAKMA POPULATION | REST POPULATION(2-3=4) | DECADAL GROWTH (CHAKMA) | DECADAL GROWTH (REST POPULATION) |
| (1) | (2) | (3) | (4) | (5) | (6) |
| 1951 | 1,96,202 | 15,297 | 1,80,905 | – | – |
| 1951-1961 | 2,66,063 | 19,337 | 2,46,726 | 26.41 | 36.38 |
| 1961-1971 | 3,32,390 | 22,393 | 3,09,997 | 15.80 | 25.64 |
| 1971-1981 | 4,93,757 | 39,905 | 4,53,852 | 78.20 | 46.41 |
| 1981-1991 | 6,89,756 | 54,194 | 6,35,562 | 35.80 | 40.04 |
| 1991-2001 | 8,88,573 | 71,283 | 8,17,290 | 31.53 | 28.59 |
| Average | 37.55 | 35.41 | |||
| Source: Mizoram at a Glance 2001, Directorate of Economics & Statistics, Mizoram; http://dipr.mizoram.gov.in/uploads/documents/document3.pdf; http://censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_st_mizoram.pdf | |||||
This also bears significance to the memorandum submitted recently to Amit Shah, President, BJP by the MZPs wherein facts have been misrepresented deliberately regarding the growth of Chakma population in Mizoram with inflated figures about the Chakma population as has been learnt from a press report of the thenortheasttoday dated 17/4/2015. For instance it was claimed that Chakma population have jumped to 80,000 in 1991 against the fact that Chakmas were only 54,194 as shown in the above table. It was also conjured that the population of the Chakmas could be around 1,50,000. Whereas, the population of the Chakmas is only 71,283 by 2001 Census figure (http://censusindia.gov.in/Tables_Published/SCST/dh_st_mizoram.pdf) and as per a report of the Vanglaini issue dated 2/3/2015 the population of the Chakmas as of 2011 is only 96,972 (http://www.vanglaini.org/tualchhung/32034).
Despite such strong evidence against the perceived notion of Chakmas growing abnormally, if the CYMA set on to continue with its resolve to conduct census on the Chakmas it will be but very unfortunate on the parts of such a highly regarded NGO of the country which has been known for their service towards the society.
