Tura, October 25: The Garo Student’s Union, (GSU) and the has written to the Chief Executive Member (CEM) Mr Denang T Sangma ,of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) demanding that the District Council Rules should be amended so that to prevent the others community in participating Council election.
Citing the example of the the political will show by the KHADC is to be appreciated beyond measure as the bravery in their initiative is borne not only out of necessity to safeguard the future of the indigenous people but also the innate need to chart their own destiny as provisioned by the spirit of the sixth schedule. It is with this sense of justice and need as indigenous people us, the GSU and ADE, would like to propose to the GHADC to amend the articles to prevent the participation of others community in the District council.
The GSU started the movement in 2008 when it initiated the rejection of others community voters from the electoral roll of the GHADC. GSU called for a strike of the GHADC office in 2011 when talks with the MDCs and letters failed to evoke any response. The GHADC then promised to take up the issue in its Ex. Committee meeting which led to a letter being shot off by the then CEM and the strike was temporarily called off.
In July 2013, the movement started off with a poster campaign followed by picketing of the GHADC office but the call for the movement for the implementation of ILP assumed priority. In 2014, the consortium of NGOs and Civil Societies like ADE, AYWO, GSU, and FKJGP called for a meeting to deny others community participation in the GHADC elections. A meeting on September 02, 2015, was called to discuss the participation of others community residents of the region in the upcoming GHADC elections.
The meeting held at the District Auditorium in Tura with the consortium asking all prominent NGOs of the region was part of the meeting. The A’chik Literature Society, A’chik Senior Citizen’s Forum, Mother’s Union, Nokma Council, Bar Association, Garo Graduates Union, AIGU and other students organisations like the PGSU and TGCSU amongst others was part of the discussion and meeting.
The appeal was made to the people of Garo Hills to boycott the GHADC elections in the light of the participation of others community in the GHADC elections. After the GHADC elections FAF, ADE, AYWO, GSU, and FKJGP went to Delhi to pursue the matter and met the Union Minister for Tribal Affairs, Jual Oram to apprise him of the situation.
Unwilling to allow others community to participate in the GHADC election, The GSU even sought the attention of Centre seeking its interference into the matter while demanding the implementation of the provisions of the Sixth Schedule in the context of its spirit.
The GSU also said that the Union Minister informed that directions are there for the State Government to pursue the implementation of the provisions of the Sixth Schedule while assuring that the ministry will pursue the matter with the Meghalaya Government and that direction will be given to the State Government to ensure the participation of only tribal in the Garo Hills District Council Elections. He reiterated that the Autonomous Council and State Government must make it imperative to follow the provisions of the 6th Schedule without fail only then can the participation of only the tribal in the District Council can be ensured.
The fight to ensure the participation of only the tribal in the District Council has been continuing. There are 18 ADCs, 1 Territorial Council and 1 Territorial Administration in India but only the GHADC allows the participation of the others community in the District Council.
The GSU also pointed out that in Assam there are nine autonomous bodies,Bodoland Territorial Council, Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council, North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council, Mising Autonomous Council(MAC), Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council (RHAC),Tiwa Autonomous Council (TAC), Tiwashong, Deori Autonomous Council (DAC), Thengal Kachari Autonomous Council (TKAC), Sonowal Kachari Autonomous Council (SKAC)
In Manipur there is only one that is the Sadar Hills Autonomous District Council. In Jammu & Kashmir the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Kargil and the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Leh.In Meghalaya there three autonomous Council, Garo Hills Autonomous District Council, Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council and Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council.
In Tripura there is only one know as, Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council.In West Bengal, the Gorkha Territorial Administratio and Mizoram also, mention the GSU in the letter written to the CEM of the GHADC.
