I) Enclaved in enchanting scenery, Attired in rich greenery, And deep blue, resembling a fairy, Impearled with tinkling vales and dales And the encircling mountaneous waterfalls, Here and there gentle gales Blowing pleasant fragrance If flowers, plants and fruits in abundance: Amidst a gently rising land oblong- Stands meekly "SHE" , the town of Haflong.
II) Oft and on she's hailed, For her charms and warms unrivalled- A SWITZERLAND OF THE EAST, Or, a SECOND SHILLONG, But "ant hill" is the virtual gist Of the name of this paranomic HAFLONG.
III) The towering ridges of Borails, On her background profiles, The meandering rivulet "Diyung" on the East, And zig-zag Robi-nulla slowly crawls on the West Their confluence lies on the North As they chatter the serpentine brooks, flow forth Jealously guarding "Her" as though- Ne'er to let the maiden go To her chosen hero.
(Extracted from The Sentinel dated 10th January 2011)
The Dimasas, a well known tribe of the Northeast with its own long rich lineage, has been lingering under pathetic conditions for long. Their plight has aroused some intense reactions from the writers of this story who have tried to highlight the rich cultural, traditional and ancestral legacy of the tribe.
The Kachari tribe happens to be the parent of the Dimasas. They were known for their might in dominating the territories covered by undivided Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and North Bengal. But the Ahom invasion in the 13th century left the Kacharis divided into several tribes in several areas.
The Dimasa tribe is one of the most important clans of the Kacharis. The etymological meaning of the name “Dimasa” most probably stands for the “children of the big river meaning the Brahmaputra”. The Kacharis seem to constitute one of the early autonomous ethnic stratums of the Northeast. Most of the independent tribal communities currently found in this region are of the Kachari origin. The Boros, Rabhas, Sonowal tribe, Thengal, Dimasas, Mikirs (Karbi), Garos, Hajongs, Deoris, Chutias, Tiwas (Lalung) etc. are all communities of the Kachari origin.
The Dimasa Kacharis are mainly found in the present day Dima Hasao district (Old name North Cachar Hills) of Assam. They also have a sizeable population in Nagaon and Karbi Anglong districts of the State. In Dima Hasao, following the formal conversion of their king Krishna Chandra to Hinduism, the ordinary Dimasas have largely adopted Hinduism. These converts to Hinduism are called Borman of Cachar.
On the other hand, in Nagaon district, the Dimasas have come under the influence of Assamese Vaishnavism and they are called Hojai (this term is also stands for the priest). In Dima Hasao, a section of Dimasas is confined within the historical village named Semkhor and eventually become a separate group of Kacharis called the Semsa Kachari.
Kacharis being one of the indigenous tribes of India’s North and Northeast, their History is quite old. In the Mahabharata and other ancient Hindu scriptures, there are mentioned about the foothill dwellers of the great Himalayas called Kiratas. The term Kirata stands for Mongoloid racial communities, but some historian believed that it indicates Kacharis.
The earliest Kachari settlements were in the foothills of the Himalayas. From there they moved to the Brahmaputra Valley with their capital at Kamruli (Kamupa). Sir Edward Gait in his “History of Assam” (1906) is of the opinion that “Kacharis were the aborigines or the earliest inhabitants of the Brahmaputtra Valley. After hundreds of years of rule in the Brahmaputra Balley, a bulk of this race due to socio-political turmoil, were believed to have migrated south of the Brahmaputra and settled in the areas of the present Sadiya of Assam after crossing the mighty river, probably the Brahmaputra. The Dimasas, who are rich in all sides, have their own scripts since Raja Ashoka of 5th century BC. Many Indian renowned poets, including Kobiguru, had thrown the highlights in Dimaraji region. The great epic The Ramayana was translated into Assamese by Mahendra Kondali in the region of Raja Mahanifa, Dimasa king in 15th century. As a result, they began to stone inscription since long and installed the stone house and gate way of Dimaraja at Maibang. Event it has thrown the highlight of stone inscription of Khaspur, last Dimaraja capital complex in Cachar district. In their script coins on Dimaraja Yosonarayan Hanusa in 1583 AD were also seen.
Facing Ahom aggression, they further migrated towards south, on to the Dhansiri valley and established their capital at Dimapur, currently in the State of Nagaland after a short stint at Kasomari about forty kilometres from Dimapur. It was here that the Kacharis undertook an arduous task of state building and flourished for several hundreds years till 1536, when they shifted their capital to Maibang at the present day district of Dima Hasao (Old name North Cachar Hills) of Assam.
Historical relics of Kachari royaldom still exist in and around Dimapur, particularly in the Dimapur fort called Kachari Rajbari in spite of the constant ravages of human encroachment, show that the Kacharis at the period had attained a state of the result of bricks making. Among the large tanks, Podum Pukhuri, Bangle Pukhuri, Bamun Pukhuri, Raj Pukhuri, Jor Pukhuri etc still survive to this day. It is said in one folklore that during the invasion of the Ahom, the Kachari king had dumped gold and other precious metals in some of these tanks and believed to have told his subject that long after he left, a day would come when a male mithun would come from the hills and dig up this gold by its horn which would weigh mound (about 240kg) and that would be the time when Kacharis rise again and prosper.
Historians cannot tell the exact date of establishment of the Kacharis capital at Dimapur. However, according to a Kachari tradition, the Multi bamboos flowered once after ever fifty years and during the region of the Kachari Kings at Dimapur these flowered nine times. These means that they had ruled for 450 years at Dimapur and since the Kacharis shifted their capital to Maibang in 1536. Kacharis had established Dimapur approximately by in 1087.
The beginning of the region of the glorious rule of the Kacharis at Dimapur began with the advent of the Ahoms, in the upper Brahmaputra by the close of the 15th century. The expansionist behaviour of the Ahoms led to constant hostilities between the two. Thus in the year 1490, there was a major battle in which the Ahoms were completely routed and their chief Chuhenpha was forced to sue for peace. However, peace did not last for long as the Ahoms intruded into the Kachari territory and set up a fort at Morangi and thus the battle ensured in 1526 A.D. and the Ahoms were again defeated and pushed back beyond the Dikhow river which became the natural boundary between the two principalities for some years. Meanwhile, when the Ahoms kept on consolidating their army, the Kacharis, emboldened by previous successes became complacent and neglected the security affairs of their country. Talking advantage of these, the Ahoms again broke their treaty with the Kacharis and set up a fort at Marangi and thus another battle ensued, and the Kacharis were finally defeated due to superior number of army. A folk tale among the Kachari says that the Ahom army rode on cows during these battle which they thought would Dimasa at that period considered cows a “Gushu” or impure. Only later, after they had embraced Brahmancial Hinduism, they come to believed that the cow was a sacred animal. After defeating the Kacharis, Monarch Khunkradao Raja, the Ahoms installed Dehtsung, the king’s brother, as Dimapur king on the condition of allegiance to the Ahom ruler. However, within a few years, the Kachari king revolted and refused to pay tribute to the Ahom ruler and thus another battle became inevitable. In 1536, another fierce battle was fought.
Dimapur, the capital of Kacharis, is often described as the ‘brick city’ by the European Scholars. The Kacharis, who were once a powerful and predominant race in the entire north-eastern region, particularly the Brahmaputra valley. The seat of capital of Dimapur kingdom was originally surrounded by bricks wall of four feet wide, sixteenth feet high with outer ditch running along side the walls of sixteenth feet width and twelve feet in depth except the southern side where the river Dhansiri served as the natural ditch. On the eastern side, there was fine solid gateway with brick masonry of pointed double ares. The gate was secured by double heavy doors hinged in pierced upright setting of solid stone blocks. At both ends of the battlement, there were turrets of half quadrant shape and turrets were niches resembling ornamental windows. On both sides above there were symbolic works of sun flower. They were originally inset by bright brass coating and could be seen dazzling from the great distance.
Inside the fortified city, there were seventeen artistic stone pillars. These stone monuments were decorated with carvings of foliage, flowers, familiar animals but nowhere any human images of gods and goddesses were seen. These implied that the Kachari were free of Hindi influence at that time. These monoliths are believed to be linear monuments of the ruling kings of Dimapur. The biggest of them was seventeen feet high and twenty four feet in circumference, and was said to be memorial of the greatest Dimapur ruler Makardhwaj (probably Khungkradao Raja who was given Sanskritized name by Brahmins later on) in whose time traditional glory of the Kachari kingdom rose to its climax, and during whose time the conquests were made of Manipur and Burma by Dehmalu, the greatest warlord of the Kacharis. Also during this period, heroes like Rangadai (who was given the southern part of Dimapur), Degadao and music heroines like Waringma (who was given the southern part of Dimapur) Degadao and mystic heroines like Waringma, Waibangma flourished in war affairs. Other V-shape stone monuments seventeen in numbers indicated seventeen royal clans of the ‘Kachari Aristocracy’. Famous historian SK Barpujari, in his book ‘History of the Dimasa’ opined that the Kachari king to commemorate their victory over other tribesmen created monolith of different shapes indicating the different tradition of the vanquished tribes. Dr H Bareh, the gazetteer of India writes that the oblong V-shaped stone pillars closely correspond to the similarly V-shaped post protruding from the roof of the house wealthy Angamis.
The tallest and largest megalith which lies isolated from others and has a unique Sultanate style is believed to have been erected by the founder king of Dimapur, who after vanquishing in the tribes all around made his triumphal tower to commemorate his victory, and this became a tradition setter. In and around this old city, large numbers of tanks over fifty in number existed, although most of them have since either dried up or have been destroyed by reckless human encroachment without an idea of respect for the history. These tanks were believed to be either dug by kings for providing water supply to their people or might have resulted due to brick making purpose, as pieces of old bricks could still be found in an around these tanks, and as has been mentioned earlier, Dimapur was known for use of bricks. Inference is that, the former ones might have been dug by the king for water supply and the later were habitation as ‘Digio-Dijua’ meaning ‘cut off from main river of stream’ and these tradition is still in vogue. And this area covers Dimapur and Kachari-inhabited areas of Karbi Anglong district of Assam in Dhansiri valley. It is the same that in the name of modernity and development, the ancient city of Dimapur, whose historical relics find a place in the world, is being gradually destroyed of its rich history by reckless human greed. The Archeological Department should try at the earliest to preserve these historical monuments of ancient Kachari kingdom, no doubt it would help to showcase the richness of Indian history and its culture and tradition. At the same time, it would highlight Dima Hasao district as well as other north-eastern region, its rich tourist potential as well as other natural resources. In fine, this tiny beautiful hilly place would get another recognition and it would take long-stride towards prospect and progress the people of Dima Hasao are anxiously waiting for that.
The Assamese as Reflected in Dimasa Folklore: Excerpts from a Song Jiniba Raji ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ UTTAM BATHARI Assistant Director, Indian Council of Historical Research, Regional Office, Guwahati.
Assam is a land of great diversity inhabited by different ethnic communities belonging to different races and linguistic groups. Having migrated at different times, each of these groups is endowed with rich and distinct cultural practices. Over the centuries, a new culture developed in the valley along the Brahmaputra as a result of social interactions amongst these disparate groups. It is this culture that evolved to be ‘Assamese’. Some of the groups blended traits completely with the new culture, whereas others maintained their distinctiveness despite having made sizable contribution to the formation of the Assamese culture, like the Dimasas. While its antiquity is obscure, its medieval history is relatively known through the various Buranjis (chronicles) maintained by the Ahoms, as the medieval Dimasa kingdom remained a formidable adversary of the Ahom monarchy till its dissolution in 1832. In the later part of rule, the Dimasa monarchy came under the influence of Brahmanism and Vaishnavite cult. It was during this period that substantial literatures were produced by the Dimasas, mostly in Assamese, Bengali and Sanskrit. However, large sections of the community remained pre-literate and possessed a large corpus of oral literature that includes a vast genre of ballads, folksongs, folktales, hymns and riddles amongst others that responded to the political and cultural reality around them. There is a distinct class of songs that speaks of encounter with other neighboring and distant communities. There are different songs narrating the Dimasas’ encounter, both friendly and hostile, with different groups such as Kukis, Nagas, Burmese etc. These songs recount tragic defeat or heroic triumph over such neighbours. The song under discussion is titled Jiniba Raji, the nearest translation of which would be Our Country/ Land. It narrates the misfortune of being dispossessed of land. The song begins by offering obeisance to the Gods and Goddesses worshipped by ‘grandfather and grandmother’ and recollects the affluence of their land in the days gone by, where ‘rice and cotton used to grow all by themselves’. It says, however, that days are changed and they are ‘forced to’ live with the Ahoms as neighbours. The song portrays the Assamese as cunning and expert in scheming. At one point, the song narrates that the Ahoms are asking for land measuring a blade of a straw/thatch. It is commonly believed that the Ahoms at the time of their advent requested the Dimasa King to allot land for their settlement. The blade of straw is used to denote the gradual occupation of their ancestral lands by the Ahoms. It exhorts the members of the community not to adopt the ‘Ahom culinary and dress culture’ and uphold their own. The song ends with strong hope that the days of gold and silver would indeed return one day . There is extensive use of metaphor in the song. The growing of rice and cotton all by themselves, are actually used to narrate the fertility of land. The use of words such as ‘gold-decked swaying hands’ and ‘silver-clad waving hands’ represent the affluence of the people. The use of the phrase ‘forced to be neighbour with the Ahoms’, though implicit, points to the military reverses suffered against the Ahoms and consequent loss of territory. Similarly the use of ‘continue to push boundaries’ is reference to the Ahom expansionism leading to constant military conflict. From the start to the end several references are found to ‘god and goddess of forefathers’ and ‘paternal skill and maternal skill’. Towards the end the song, it is narrated with conviction that the days of gold and silver would return. But the song sets some conditions for the return of the good old days. It calls upon the members of the community not to idle away time. It would return only if their cultural distinctiveness as a community is maintained. If folklore “encompasses various aspects of expressive behavior as dialogue between human groups and their physical and social environment” (Reddy & Durga, 2008, p.3), the song helps in explaining cultural formation and change. It is a reflection of the historical experience that the Dimasa society went through. But how does the song reflect the community’s perception toward the Assamese as claimed in the title of this essay while it narrates only its political contest with the Ahoms. A small detour shall reveal the answer to this. Dimasa typically uses different ethnonyms for different communities it has come in close contact with, for instance Magam-sa for all the various groups of Nagas, Phana-sa for the Karbis etc. In the song, the term used to refer the Ahoms is ‘Asimsa’.
However, the same name is used by the Dimasas torefer to the Assamese. This terminological dissonance needs a little explanation as both the Ahoms and the Assamese are actually two different categories. The Ahom is an ethnic group that migrated to Assam in the early thirteenth century, whose six hundred years of rule was instrumental in the formation of geographical category called Assam, while the Assamese, usually meant to denote people living in Assam, is rather a complex and politically loaded term. The nonrecognition of differences between these two categories of people derives from its folk perception which may be explained in terms various changes the region underwent in the medieval times. The term Asimsa was originally used for the Ahoms. It is to be noted here that most Dimasa words are derivatives. They called the Ahoms so because they were known to have migrated from Siam or Shyam by the Dimasas. The term Asimsa is changed version of Ha-shyam-sa meaning son of land of shyam. (the suffix sa is used by Dimasa to denote any community, i.e. ha-di-sa, Bengalis as son of wet paddy field, gufu-sa, the white man (son) or European). The Dimasas term of Asimsa referring to the Ahoms extended to the other groups living in the land of Ahoms. Interestingly, they share close emotional bond to their agnates living in the land of Ahoms and refrain from designating them as Asimsa. Many scholars believe that the term Assam finds origin in this word ha-shyam-sa or Asimsa. It would be convenient to draw the conclusion that the type of songs discussed in this essay forms a part of peoples’ memory. Their performances are actually recounting of events in the past which shaped the community’s destiny. Every act of performing this act of retelling is similar to rereading past history, though the act of reading itself cannot be put beyond context. The context of reading is crucial in shaping contemporary public perception over issues and events, especially amongst people ‘without history.’ The Song (translated by the author):
O’ Lord Almighty of my artless grandfather/ I bow to you in the east O’ Goddess Almighty of my innocent/guileless grandmother/ I bow to you in the west Lend your ears o’ my elderly folks/ Lend your ears o’ my brothers and sisters Cotton weaved cloth by itself / In our land rice grew by itself Gold decked the swaying hands/ Silver clad the waving hands. These days, we are forced to be Assamese neighbours These nights, we are forced to be fishermen’s friends
The Assamese continues to push our boundaries/ The fishermen continue to fish our waters The Assamese is asking for Land/ Measuring the blade of a straw/thatch The fisherman is asking for water/ Measuring a throttle The Assamese are foresighted in thoughts/ The fishermen are deft diplomats Lend your ears o’ my brothers and sisters/ Do not sleep away the hours Do not idle away the times/ Wake up o’ fellow brothers and sisters Arise o’ fellow elderly folks Lest you wake up/ Paternal skill will be lost Lest you arise/ Maternal skill will be lost In grand old book thou shall find the paternal skill Crafted in designs of hand fans belong the maternal skill Do not learn the way Assamese eat/ Do not learn the way Fisherman dress Will eat the fathers’ way/ Will dress the mothers’ way If paternal working skill not abandoned/ Golden days would return If maternal weaving skill not abandoned/ Silvery nights would return Again gold shall deck the swaying hands Once more shall sway silver clad hands Judi shall flow in torrents/ Khaji shall form hillocks Fawn shall fickle around six hills/ When gold shall deck the swaying hands Shall consume fruits of six banyans Dance till headgear falls/ Sway hands till rikhaosa slips.
Judi—shortened from of Judima, meaning Dimasa traditional rice beer. Khaji—meat or vegetables served with rice beer or any other form of drink. Rikhaosa—a piece of cloth worn like stole or chador by women. References Baruah, Nagendranath( 1982) Dimasa Sokolor Geet-Mat, Guwahati: Assam Publication Board Reddy, Y A Sudhakar & Durga , P S Kanaka (2008) Indian Folklife, Serial No.29, Chennai: NFSC.❆
An Extract of Article 244 (A) OF THE INDIAN CONSTITUTION
'[ 224 A. Formation of an Autonomous State comprising certain tribal areas in Assam and creation of local Legislature or Council of Ministers or both therefor-
1. Notwithstanding anything in this Constitution, Parliament may, by law formed within the State of Assam an autonomous state comprising (whether wholly or in part) all or any of the tribal areas specified in'[Part I] of the table appended to paragraph 20 of the Sixth schedule and create therefor-
a) a body, whether elected or partly nominated and partly elected , to function as a legislature for the autonomous State, or
b) Council of Ministers,
or both with such constitution , powers and functions, in each case, as may be specified in the law.
2. Any such law as is referred to in clause (1) may, in particular,-
a) specified the matters enumerated in the State List or the Concurrent List with respect to which the Legislature of the Autonomous State shall have power to make laws for the whole or any part thereof, whether to the exclusion of Legislature of the State of Assam or otherwise;
b) define the matters with respect to whichthe executive power of the autonomous State shall extend,
c) provide that any tax levied by the State of Assam shall be assigned to the Autonomous State in so far as the proceeds thereof are attributable to the Autonomous State;
d) provide that any reference to State in any article of this constitution shall constructed as including a reference to the autonomous State; and
e) make such supplemental, incidental and consequential provisions as may be deemed necessary.
3. An amendment of any such law as aforesaid in so far as such amendment relates to any of the matter specified in sub clause (a) or sub-clause (b) of clause (2) shall have no effect unless the amendment is passed in each House of Parliament by not less than two-thirds of the members present and voting.
Any such law is referred to in this article shall not be deemed to be an amendment of this Constitution for the purpose of article 368 notwithstanding that it contains any provision which amend or has the effect of amending this constitution.]
ANNEXURE-IV
As Introduced in the Rajya Sabha on
1 August, 1995
Bill No. LV of 1995
THE SIXTH SCHEDULE TO THE CONSTITUTION (AMENDMENT) BILL, 1995
A
BILL
further to amend the constitution of India in its application to the State of Assam.
BE it enacted by Parliament in the Forty-sixth Year of the Republic of India as follows:-
1. This Act may be called the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution (Amendment) Act, 1995.
2. The Sixth schedule to the Constitution shall, in its application to the State of Assam, shall have effect subject to the following modifications, namely:-
(1) in paragraph 2, in sub-paragraph (3), the following proviso shall be inserted, namely:-
" Provided that the District Council constituted for the North Cachar Hills District shall be called as the North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council and the District Council constituted for the Karbi Anglong District shall be called as the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council.";
( 2) in paragraph 3, for sub-paragraph(3), the folowing sub-paragraph shall be substituted, namely:-
"(3) Save as otherwise provided in sub-paragraph (2) of paragraph 3A, all laws made under this paragraph or sub-paragraph(1) of paragraph 3a shall be submitted forwith to the Governor and, until assented to by him, shall have no effect.";
(3) after paragraph 3, the following paragraph shall be inserted, namely:-
"3A. Additional powers to the North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council and the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council to make laws:(1) Without prejudice to the provision of paragraph 3, the North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council and the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council within their respective districts, shall have the power to make laws with respect to-
(a) industries, subject to the provisions of entries 7 and 52 of List I of the Seventh Schedule:
(b) communications, that is to say, roads, bridges, ferries and other means of communication not specified in List I of the Seventh Schedule : municipal tramways, ropeways, inland waterways and traffic thereon subject to the provisions of List I and List IIIof the Seventh Schedule with regard to such waterways; vehicles other than mechanically propelled vehicles;
(c) preservation, protection and improvement of stock and prevention of animal diseases; veterinay training and practice; cattle pounds;
(d) primary and secondary education;
(e)Agriculture, including agricultural education and research, protection against pest and prevention of plant diseases;
(f) fisheries;
(g) water, that is to say, water supplies, irrigation and canals, drainage and embankments, water storage and water power subject to the provisions of entry 56 of List I of the Seventh Schedule;
(h) social security and social insurance; employment and unemployment;
(i) flood control schemesfor protection of villages , paddy fields, markets, towns, etc.(not of technical nature);
(j) theatres and dramatic performances, cinemas subject to the provisions of entry 60 of List I of the Seventh Schedule ; sports entertainment and amusements;
(k) public health and sanitation, hospitals and dispensaries;
(l) minor irrigation;
(m) trade and commerce in, and the production supply and distribution of, food stuffs, raw cotton and raw jute;
(n) libraries, museums and other similar institutions controlled or financed by the state; ancient and historical monuments and records other than those declared by or under any laws made by parliament to be of national importance; and
(o) alienation of land.
(2) All laws made by the North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council and the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Councilunder paragraph 3 or under this paragraph shall, in so far as they relate to matters specified in List III of the Seventh Schedule, be submitted forwith to the Governor who shall reserve the same for the consideration of the President.
(3) When a law is reserved for the consideration of the President, the President shall declare either that he assents to the said law or that witholds assent therefrom:
Provided that the President may direct the Governor to return the law to the North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council or the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council , as the case may be , together with a message requesting that the said council will reconsider the law or any specifiedprovisions thereof and, in particular, will, consider the desirability of introducing any such amendments as he may recommend in his message end, when the law is so returned, the said council shall consider the law accordingly within a period of six months from the date of receipt of such a message and, if the law is again passed by the said Council with or without amendment it shall be presented again to the President for his consideration.";
(4)in paragraph 12, in sub-para(1), for the words and figure " matters specified in paragraph 3 of this Schedule", the words, figures and letter " matters specified in paragraph 3 or paragraph 3 A of this Schedule " shall be substituted;
(5)in paragraph 14, in sub-paragrah (2), the words "with recommendation of the Governor with respect thereto" shall be omitted;
(6) after paragraph 20B, the following paragraph shall be inserted , namely:-
"20BA. Excercise of discretionary powers by the Governor in the discharge of his functions.-
The Governor in the discharge of his function under sub- paragrahs (2) and (3) of paragraph 1, sub-paragraphs(1), (6), sub-paragraph (6A) excluding the first proviso and sub paragrah (7) of paragraph 2, sub-paragraph 3 of paragraph 3,sub- paragraph 4 of paragraph 4, paragraph 5, sub-paragraph (1) of paragrah 6, sub-paragraph (2) of paragrah 7, sub-paragrah (4) of paragraph 8, sub-paragrah (3) of paragraph 9 , sub-paragrah (3) of paragraph 10, sub-paragrah (1) of paragraph 14, sub-paragrah (1) of paragraph 15, and sub-paragraphs (1) and (2) of paragraph 16 of this Schedule, shall, after consulting the Council of Ministers and the North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council or the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council , as the case may be, take such action as he considers necessary in his direction."
