By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Majority of the MDCs have opposed the move to strengthen the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) on the basis of the proposed peace settlement between the Government and the ANVC.
Moving a motion on the proposed peace agreement on the second day of the Budget Session on Wednesday, KHNAM MDC Adelbert Nongrum said the Council should not accept the Government’s move.
“I do not think that the KHADC should agree to this move of strengthening the Council on the basis of the terms and conditions laid down by the ANVC. The outfit had demanded for creation of a Territorial Council in line with the Bodo Territorial Council which the Government had rejected,” Nongrum said.
He argued that if the strengthening of the KHADC has to take place then it should be on the basis of the needs and aspirations of the people of Khasi Hills.
“We should pressurize the State Government that the strengthening of the KHADC would be based only on our demands and proposal,” he said.
HSPDP MDC KP Pangiang agreed with Nongrum and said that the proposal was unreasonable.
“We do not need the help of any organisation to strengthen the KHADC. If there is really an emergent need to strengthen the Council then let a resolution be passed in this House for creation of another ADC out of the existing KHADC,” Pangiang said. He also emphasized that the strengthening of the Council, if any, has to be based on the terms and conditions proposed by the KHADC.
Nongthymmai MDC Latiplang Kharkongor said that since the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution would have to be amended for the proposed peace settlement to materialize, the Council should take advantage by demanding the recognition of the Instrument of Accession signed on August 17, 1948, wherein all rulers agreed to accede to the Dominion of India.
“If the Centre agrees to the inclusion of the Instrument of Accession in the Constitution then the State will have a special status as is the case with Jammu and Kashmir,” Kharkongor added.
The MDC also stated that the proposed strengthening of the ADCs suffered from serious lacunae. “I do not think the Council is going to be benefitted by increasing the strength of the House,” he said.
In reply, KHADC CEM Pynshngain N Syiem said the Executive Committee is expected to notify a committee to study this proposal of the State Government.
Lauding the decision of the State Government to empower the KHADC and the JHADC along with the GHADC as per the proposed settlement with the ANVC, Syiem has also said that this latest initiative would provide huge impetus to the three ADCs since they would have to look after the administration of several new departments.
“We would emphasize to the State Government that the strengthening of the Council should be based on the proposals submitted by the KHADC,” Syiem said, while informing that a committee has been proposed to study the proposed amendment of the Sixth Schedule.
The ten-member committee, headed by KHADC Chief Executive Member (CEM) Pynshngain N Syiem, is expected to be notified by the Executive Committee in the next few days.