SHILLONG,FEB 17: Introduction of the Inner Line Permit (ILP), demarcation of powers and functions of district council and the state government, codification of the Khasi customary laws are some of the issues included in the Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening (KHNAM) 12-point election manifesto for the upcoming Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) polls slated for February 24.
KHNAM’s working president Adelberth Nongrum released the party manifesto at a gathering attended by the party’s front leaders and functionaries besides the candidates and supporters on Monday.
Reading out the manifesto, Nongrum said that the party would demand implementation of ILP to prevent and check the inflow of illegal influx into the state.
The other top priorities for the upcoming KHADC elections for the KHNAM are the need to codify the customary laws besides customs and practices of the Khasi , demarcation of the powers and functions of the district council and the state government to avoid conflict.
Nongrum laid stressed on the need to delete the Para 12 A of the Sixth Scheduled of the Indian Constitution which stands as a main hurdles in the functioning of the district council. He also said that the party would fight for the need to control issuing of fresh trading license and to completely stop issuing of trading license in those trades which the indigenous people are engaged. He told reporters “In this way, we can prevent other communities from taking away the livelihood of our indigenous people.”
Stating that simply passing of the Compulsory Registration of Marriage Act by the state assembly is not enough, Nongrum said, “Though marriage is a personal affair, but there is an urgent need to come up with more effective and stringent rules to prevent mixed marriage between indigenous and non-indigenous communities.” He felt that there is also a need to pressurize the state government to implement the Supreme Court ruling on this regards.
The other issue that the KHNAM has included in its manifesto is the that the power to issue scheduled tribe certificate should be given back to the district council.
Preventing mining of mineral resources such as uranium, recognizing the district council as an agency for development, direct funding of the district council from the centre, introducing laws that will prevent non-indigenous people from participating in the decision and electing of public representatives at the district council also figures in the KHNAM manifesto.
Nongrum, however, also informed that corruption is another important issue for the party besides demanding from the state government to resolve the age-old boundary dispute with Assam which is affecting the indigenous people residing in the borders.
Appealing to the voters to support the party in the upcoming elections, Nongrum expressed confidence that the people will give KHNAM maximum number of seats.
KHNAM has fielded 13 candidates including three sitting MDCs to contest the February 24 KHADC elections.- By Our Reporter
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