SHILLONG: The move to do away with village and municipal councils as per the draft amendment of the Sixth Schedule goes against the Agreed Text for Settlement of the ANVC.
The tripartite peace settlement was signed by Centre, state and both the groups of ANVC.
Concerned over the matter, the former chairman of ANVC-B, Bernard N Marak said on Sunday that the exclusion of village councils and municipal councils as per the proposed amendment is a betrayal to the “Garo Settlement” which was signed in New Delhi in 2014 under Bharatiya Janata Party government. The matter figured in the just concludedAssembly session with the Chief Minister Conrad Sangma saying that the draft amendment indicates that the village and municipal councils are excluded.
However, the ANVC-B leader said the amendment proposals being made through the state are aimed at weakening the Councils.
Marak wanted the state government to discuss the matter in an open debate so that the people of Garo Hills will know what is happening and why the village and municipal councils are being excluded.
“Village and municipal councils are included in para 7.1 and 2.3 of the Agreed Text for Settlement. We want to know who authorised the state to change our agreement without our knowledge”, Marak said.
He also asked Garo leaders not to allow the state to curtail the autonomy of the GHADC.
“State is changing everything that we had worked for and agreed upon through the Garo Settlement. Government is secretly making an attempt to hijack our demands in its favour by changing the structure of our demands and not involving us in the decision making bodies in spite of a decision made at the Central Level Monitoring Committee for the participation of stakeholders,’’ Marak said.
According to the former rebel leader, Garos and Khasi-Jaintias have different system of traditional administration and hence the village councils and municipal council are must for Garo Hills to empower the people and for devolution of funds to the grassroots.
“Village councils and Town Committees existed in the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council from the beginning but due to lack of fund and political interference, the village councils became inactive and the town committees were taken over by the Municipality without constitutional sanction”, he said.
Marak said Garos need an elected body to avail the funds and distribute the same to the grassroots.
Village and municipal councils are the solution to the under development of Garo Hills and the present imbroglio in the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council.
“State is attempting to shatter the dreams and aspirations of the Garo people. Our agreement was to empower the people at the grassroots by reducing the workload of GHADC employees”, he said.
The former ANV-B leader pointed out that militancy rose in Garo Hills since the region remained underdeveloped for decades.
“The revolutionary movements of the Garos were a cry for development and it should not be betrayed by our leaders. All Garo leaders should unite to bring positive change to Garo Hills by way of inclusion of the village and municipal councils in the proposed amendment”, he said.
Marak also said the bureaucrats should stay away from the Councils as the civil servant appointed in the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council as a secretary is unconstitutional and there is no change to the grievances of the Council employees.
“Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) has failed to pay the salary to the council employees even after the civil servant has been appointed as the secretary.
The funds are also said to be improperly utilised, so there is no hope for the Council to upgrade if village and municipal councils empowering the people is not included in the proposed amendment”, Marak added.
He said the fund should reach the grassroots through the 73rd and 74th amendment or else the scheduled tribes will not get anything out of the amendment of the Sixth Schedule.
“We want the government to take our suggestions seriously or get ready for an open public debate on September 24 in Tura as it was on the same day in 2014 that we had signed the agreement”, Marak said.
