TURA: Balachanda MDC in the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council and vocal critic, Sofiur Rahman, has accused the Congress and the BJP of having a secret understanding to topple the NPP-led executive committee over the issue of non-inclusion of the unrepresented tribes as nominated members in the upcoming formation of the Garoland Territorial Council, which will replace the GHADC and shall have more elected representatives as per the text agreement between the former militant outfit ANVC and the Centre.
“In the last session there had been opposition to nomination of unrepresented tribes in the GHADC if the Territorial Council is created and this did not go down well with the Congress and the BJP which is why both BJP MDC Bhupen Hajong and Congress MDC Nripendra Koch both cross voted in favour of the opposition candidate in the deputy chairman election,” alleged Rahman in a statement.
The MDC representing Balachanda constituency of Rajabala warned that if the GHADC was to give in to the nomination demands of the unrepresented tribes it would open a Pandora’s box.
“If the GHADC allows for unrepresented tribes nomination then it will open the doors for our non-tribals to also demand for their reservation of seats in the council on the lines of the Bodoland Territorial Council. We already have two seats in the GHADC currently held by unrepresented tribes and another two by non-tribal community,” pointed out Rahman.
He accused the Congress of running a campaign of misinformation in the Garo Hills and charged the BJP and its parent organisation RSS of joining hands.
“Bhupen Hajong (MDC) is from the RSS and Nripen Koch is from the Congress. The picture is there for everyone to see who is playing these games,” accused Rahman who is currently the Vice Chairman of the Forest Development Corporation in the state.
He also charged former Congress chief minister Mukul Sangma of orchestrating the GHADC turmoil.
“During last Lok Sabha election Dr Mukul Sangma delivered speeches in various places in Garo Hills saying that if people voted for NPP it was a vote for the BJP and beef would be banned in Meghalaya. He blamed NPP because it was an alliance partner with the BJP, but now is it not the Congress which has joined hands with BJP to try and topple the NPP alliance in GHADC?” questioned Sofiur Rahman and added that the decision of the Dipul Marak executive committee to release some of the monthly salaries pending for the council employees ahead of the Christmas celebrations had hit a nerve in the Congress camp.
