Shillong, Oct 25: The Grand Council Chief today submitted a memorandum to the union minister tribal affair Mr V Kishore Chandra Deo, in the memorandum the GCC requested the minister to include the Khasi, Pnar and the Garos in the 13th Schedule of the Indian Constitution, by creating a party less Council for them.
The Grand Council of Chief of Meghalaya comprise of Chiefs/ Rulers/ Clan heads/ Village Chieftains, of the Khasi States, comprising of the Syiems, Lyngdoh, Sirdars, Wahadadar, Doloi, and Nokma, are traditionally the Rulers / Chiefs/ Clan heads/ Village Chiefs of the Khasi, Jaintia and Garo Society since time immemorial. Our Institutions are managed according to democratic traditions of the Khasi Society which have been handed down through generations and are being followed even today.
The Syiem, Lyngdoh, Sirdar, Wahadadar, Dolloi and Nokma are the democratically elected Rulers who govern the Syiemships,Lyngdohship, Dolloiship, and Nokmaship, along with the Dorbar(s) and Myntri (s) or Bakhraw (s) who are also nominated unanimously in accordance to the customary practices. These practices were largely respected even in the time of the colonial Rulers.
The GCC urgent the Union Minister to intervention on the issues of the party-less tribal governing institutions of the Khasi, Jaintia and Garo Chiefs of Meghalaya who have for last six decades been democratically expressing and drawing the attention of the Central Governments since 1949-1950 till date as to the White Paper on Indian States, which was placed before Parliament by Sardar Valabhbhai Patel, the then Dy PM, i/c Ministry of States (Now known as Ministry of Home). The White Paper refers to the special treaty and terms between the 25 Khasi States and the Dominion of India, and which was accepted and signed by the first Governor General of India of free India, Shri. C Rajagopalachari, on 17th Aug 1948.
The difference between the accession of the Khasi States with the dominion and the erstwhile Indian Princely States was that while the latter merged with the neighbouring States or constituted separate States with the Indian Union by means of the Instrument of Merger and the process of proclamation, 25 Khasi States retained their identity within the provision of the Indian Constitution.
Presently, in total in Meghalaya, there are 54 Khasi Hima(s) in Khasi Hills, 18 Dolloi(s) & 1 Sirdar in Jaintia Hills and 1400 Nokma(s) in Garo Hills.
The Peoples Parliament was primarily to draw the attention of the entire nation and the Central Govt to the needs of the people of Meghalaya in this respect. The Peoples Parliament passed democratic and economic resolutions.
In the Memorandum the GCC reminded the Union Minister to please recall that after detailed hearing the National Commission for Schedule Tribes(NCST), a constitutional body under Article 338A of the Constitution of India, issued a directive on 26 April 2012, to the Secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Govt of India, to address the constitutional anomaly.
In response to our memorandum, The National Commission on Human Rights, (NHRC) a constitutional body under Article 339 of the Constitution of India replied on 16 June 2012, that the matter of the Instrument of Accession was within the ‘legislative competence of Parliament’, and advised the Grand Council of Chiefs of Meghalaya to approach Government of India.
A delegation from the Grand Council of Chiefs of Meghalaya had also met UPA & NAC, Chairperson, Smt. Sonia Gandhi, personally 9th June 2012, to submit similar Memorandums, and received favourable responses.
While seeking Constitutional space and recognition and protection of the traditional institution of Meghalaya, we fervently pray for your kind perusal and to render your good office for the fulfillment of the aspiration of the Khasi, Jaintia and Garo people by way of inclusion of the proposed ‘party-less’ Thirteenth Schedule within the constitution of India.
In the enthusiasm generated by the attainment of freedom and the promulgation for the Constitution, the Instrument of Accession and provisions of the Annexed Agreements have been overlooked.
The Chiefs have submitted a memorandum for constitutional space through a special Thirteen Schedule for a separate Council for the tribal governing traditional institutions of the Khasi States, the Dollois, and the Council of Nokma’s under Meghalaya within the Constitution of India.
We are confident that under your leadership, the observance and implementation of these commitments soundly made on 17 August 1948, be incorporated into the proposed Thirteen Schedule of the Constitution of India for constitution of a special ‘party less’ Federal Council /Regional Council to promote and protect our customary laws and practices, and to enable us to contribute to the development and progress of our own society and to the peace and prosperity of India.(SP News)
