Shillong, Nov 18: An appeal to address the issues of the tribal Khasi, Jaintia and Garo Chiefs through a separate ‘Party less Regional Council’ & ‘Political Space’ – for the Khasi, Jaintia and Garo Chiefs was submitted personally to Shri. Rahul Gandhi, MP & Vice President, AICC by Shri John F Kharshiing, Co-Chairman, Meghalaya State Planning Board, Govt of Meghalaya, Chairman, Grand Council of Chiefs of Meghalaya, Spokesperson, Federation of Khasi States, during a meeting in the national capital today.
During the meeting Mr. Rahul Gandhi MP, enquired in detail as to the party less political system existing within the traditional tribal chieftains and Institutions of Meghalaya, he was also informed about the existence of the 3363 unique Khasi political partyless clan system baring inter-marriage, the process of decision making through consensus and referendum, and the process of ‘recall’ that exist.
Mr Rahul Gandhi, MP was informed about the pending issues as mention in the White Paper On Indian States – relating to the Instrument of Accession and Annexed Agreement of the Khasi States accepted by the Government of India of 17th August 1948, and the lack of space for the chiefs within the Constitution and the 6th Schedule, the NCRWC report 2003 placed before parliament, during NDA rule, NCST, NHRC, directives in 2012, he was also informed of the ongoing conflict on ILP which was partly due to the insecurity felt by the slow change in the socio-economic political demographic of the State, including lack of constitutional legislative and administrative space for the tribal institutions, Mr Rahul Gandhi, assured that the matter would be examined thoroughly and looked into in depth, and that his office would get back on his issues raised in the memorandum.(SP News)
