SHILLONG, JAN 16: The NPP president Purno A Sangma alleged that the Meghalaya government is acting on the pressure of the militants as it has been forced to extend the term of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) by another six months which he felt is dangerous for the state.
Sangma’s comments came following the decision of the state government to extend the term of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) to another six months while the other two – Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) and Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) elections by only fifteen days.
Chief minister Mukul Sangma had justified the six months extension of the GHADC as he said it would allow the whole peace-pact settlement signed between the Government of India, State government and the A’chik National Volunteers’ Council (ANVC) to be completed so that the ANVC can participate in the council elections.
“The government of Meghalaya is acting on the pressure of the militants which is dangerous for the state,” Sangma told reporters at a news conference on Thursday. He said the government of Meghalaya has lost its independent authority and has instead surrendered it to the militants.
Saying that though there was a consensus reached between the government and the ANVC, Sangma, however, said, “The state government wanted to hold the elections along with KHADC and JHADC knowing fully well that this agreement and amendment will take time which reportedly the ANVC did not agree.”
According to the agreement, it has been proposed to increase the number of MDCs seats in GHADC from 30 – 40 seats.
On the proposed increase of GHADC seats Sangma informed that this has to be approved by the cabinet which is not done and secondly after it is approved, government has to go to parliament and then amendment of sixth scheduled will take place which is going to take a lot of time.
Maintaining that his party is not opposing the decision to increase the strength of the GHADC, the NPP chief said, “If GHADC strength has to be increase and more powers have to be given, why KHADC and JHADC should be denied and deprived.” He said the NPP demands that whatever agreement has been signed should automatically be applied to KHADC and JHADC.
The decision on this was taken at the State Executive Committee (SEC) meeting of the party held on Wednesday last.
The lone NPP legislator James Sangma said that the NPP condemns the decision of the Congress government to hold the KHADC and JHADC elections separately from that of the GHADC.
The junior Sangma said this is a discriminatory move on the part of the Congress government which denies the Khasi and Jaintia hills of this opportunity for increasing the number of seats. He said, “We demand that uniformity be maintained in respect of all the three Autonomous District Councils.”
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