Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill 2021

Why in news?

• Parliament has passed the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Bill 2021.
• The Bill seeks to amend the nomenclature of certain tribes from Arunachal Pradesh mentioned in the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950.

What are the key features?

Part-XVIII of the 1950 Order lists 16 tribes of Arunachal include

Abor, Aka, Apatani, Nyishi, Galong, Khampti, Khowa, Mishmi [Idu, Taroon], Momba, Any Naga tribes, Sherdukpen, Singpho, Hrusso, Tagin, Khamba and Adi.

• The Bill -

1. modifies Part-XVIII of the Schedule to the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950.
2. corrects the names of tribes spelt incorrectly
3. adds names of a few tribes that were either named ambiguously or had only their parent group named.

• The five key changes are:

1. Deleting ‘Abor’ (tribe), because ‘Adi’ tribe in the list is same as ‘Abor’
2. Changing ‘Khampti’ to ‘Tai Khamti’
3. Including ‘Mishmi-Kaman (Miju Mishmi)’, ‘Idu (Mishmi)’ and ‘Taraon (Digaru Mishmi)’ in lieu of Mishmi [Idu, Taroon]
4. Including ‘Monpa’, ‘Memba’, ‘Sartang’, ‘Sajolang (Miji)’ in place of ‘Momba’
5. Replacing ‘Any Naga Tribes’ with names of four tribes: ‘Nocte’, ‘Tangsa’, ‘Tutsa’, and ‘Wancho’.

What is the need?

• Officially listed names of the tribes are out of “colonial interpretations”.
• But many other tribes, sub-tribes exist with diversity in terms of language or culture.
• E.g., There are 3 groups of Mishmis - Idu, Kaman and Taraon - mentioned just as Mishmi.
• Similarly, Nocte, Tangsa, Tutsa and Wancho, mentioned as “other Naga tribes” have their own nomenclature and are culturally diverse.
• This creates problems while applying for central jobs, as individual tribes are not recognised.

• So self-identification and indigenous nomenclature of tribeshas beena long-standing demand.

Who is the opposing and why?

• The term ‘Any Naga Tribe’ has been removed by the Bill, replacing it with four different tribes.
• So, opposition from the Naga separatist group NSCN(IM) which aims at creating Nagalim or greater Nagaland (a territory that comprises all Naga-inhabited areas around Nagaland, including neighbouring states).
• But the change just gives them their individual identity through names, still within the larger Naga identity.

Source: The Indian Express