Protest against continued extension of GHADC term
TURA: Opposition parties and Garo pressure groups have called for a day-long office picketing of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) on January 30 to protest the State government’s continued extension of the term of the present council, elections for which were due over a year ago.
A Joint Opposition Alliance has been formed by leaders of the BJP, National Peoples’ Party (NPP), Garo National Council (GNC), United Democratic Party (UDP) together with the pressure groups like All A’chik Youth Federation, Garo Hills State Movement Committee (GHSMC) and the A’chik Youth and Welfare Organization (AYWO) to take on the government on the issue.
“The continuous extension of the GHADC term is out of the provision of the Indian Constitution. As per the provision of the law, the term of the GHADC may be extended in terms of State Emergency or in the case of natural calamities ambiguity for the period of not exceeding one year by Governor notification in the gazette,” said NPP leader Conrad K Sangma during a joint meeting of the alliance.
During discussions the joint opposition alliance pointed out that as per the present situation of the state, there is no valid ground to extend the term of the GHADC for another six months.
“The move of the state government is like murdering Indian democracy, diluting the peoples’ mandate and peoples’ political rights in the name of continuous unconstitutional extension,” stated the alliance.
The alliance has decided to resort to a ‘strong’ democratic protest against the Mukul Sangma government should the state cabinet proceed for a further six month extension.
“The meeting resolved to demand for the holding of GHADC elections without any delay,” announced the convenor of the opposition alliance and former Rajya Sabha member Thomas A Sangma.
