‘Resent failure to discuss non-tribal issue’

TURA, MAR 31: The Garo Students Union (GSU) on Thursday expressed resentment over Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) failure to debate the non-tribal participation in council election.

Tura member of district council (MDC) Rupert M. Sangma had moved a motion on the non-tribal participation in council election, which was to be debated but the house was adjourned sine die, as the united opposition member had staged a walkout yesterday as the chairman of the council Boston Marak refused to accept supplementary questions.

The ruling bench had taken up the motion and had call for the mover but in absence of any of the opposition members, the house was adjourned.

Reacting to the turn of events on the floor of the council, GSU president Tengsak Momin said, “Politics have scuttled the very important issue, which would have been the guiding principles of sixth schedule. The issue had been terminated in the GHADC before it can sprout a hope”.

Momin stated that the GSU is willing to fight for the issue and sought for people’s cooperation. They further demanded that GHADC legislate a law to restrict the participation of only the indigenous people in the electoral processes.

In the run up to the GHADC election last year, the GSU had travelled across the five districts of Garo hills to educate the masses on the need to restrict the participation in the GHADC to only the indigenous people.

The GSU termed that politics of power play, money and false promises confused the people in the last years’ election.  They said that if less than 49 per cent people would have voted they would have created a referendum.

Momin informed that they have submitted a representation to union minister for Tribal Affairs Jual Oram on the matter and is waiting for his response.

The GSU further suggested remedial measures for strengthening the council, which states that there is a need that sixth schedule is amended and autonomous councils are made to benefit from the recommendations of the state finance commission.

It also said that the state governments and the autonomous councils identify powers under the sixth schedule so that the Governors may exercise at their discretion without having to act on the ‘aid and advice’ of the state council of ministers.

The GSU also feels that a commission under union government should periodically review the administration of the district autonomous councils. They also suggested that the Para 12 A be removed or amended in the constitution to truly make the councils “autonomous”.

Para 12 A: Application of Acts of Parliament and of the Legislature ofthe State of Meghalaya to autonomous districts and autonomous regions in the State of Meghalaya —Notwithstanding anything in this Constitution states –

(a) if any provision of a law made by a District or Regional Council in the State of Meghalaya with respect to any matter specified in sub-paragraph (1) of paragraph 3 of this Schedule or if any provision of any regulation made by a District Council or a Regional Council in that State under paragraph 8 or paragraph 10 of this Schedule, is repugnant to any provision of a law made by the Legislature of the State of Meghalaya with respect to that matter, then, the law or regulation made by the District Council or, as the case may be, the Regional Council whether made before or after the law made by the Legislature of the State of Meghalaya, shall, to the extent of repugnancy, be void and the law made by the Legislature of the State of Meghalaya shall prevail”.-From Our Correspondent