Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Guwahati: The Indigenous People’s Forum and several apex bodies in Assam’s Dima Hasao district are fighting to kill a recent name change. They reject the use of Dima Hasao Autonomous Council, insisting the region retain its official constitutional title: North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council. They want the old name back. The conflict hit a boiling point after the council’s Principal Secretary issued an order on August 31, 2026, commanding all department heads to adopt the new Dima Hasao branding.
The group claims this move violates constitutional rules. They argue that neither a council resolution nor an administrative order holds the power to rename a body defined by law. In a September 3 press release, the forum noted that Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma previously told them the council’s name remained unchanged. The IPF now suspects political players are pushing this agenda to manufacture communal friction among indigenous groups.
The forum views this distraction as a way to dodge scrutiny regarding local governance and accountability. They issued a stern warning: "The constitutional nomenclature of the council could not be altered through a council notification, resolution or administrative order."
Authorities have exactly 14 days to scrap the August 31 directive and reinstate the North Cachar Hills name. If officials refuse to comply, the IPF plans to launch an indefinite bandh. This protest would bring life to a standstill by blocking both railway and highway services across the district. For now, the council continues to use the Dima Hasao label on its official website, acknowledging its history as the North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council.
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