Need for unanimous stand on twin issues: UDP MDC
SHILLONG: UDP MDC Donkupar Sumer has urged All Regional Party Alliance (ARPA) chairman Metbah Lyngdoh to convene an emergency meeting of the alliance to take a unanimous stand on the twin issues of encroachment by MUDA into the Scheduled areas and the fresh draft bill of the State Government to empower the traditional heads of the State including the Rangbah Shnong.
Sumer said, “We need to organise this meeting since there is no clarity at the moment on the stand of the parties which are part of ARPA. Both the UDP and KHNAM which are part of the alliance decided to boycott the all party meeting convened by the State Government. But surprisingly, HSPDP attended the meeting despite being a part of the alliance”.
People are in a state of confusion since there is no unanimity among the three allies of ARPA on the twin issues, Sumer observed.
“As members of the KHADC, we are expected to back the legislations passed by the Council. But surprisingly a section of the MDCs are trying to be in sync with the move of the State Government to make rules for the traditional heads even though it amounts to infringement into the jurisdiction of the Council,” Sumer said clearly pointing towards Ardent Basaiawmoit and his group.
Sumer also took note of the actions of the HSPDP which is allegedly taking the side of the state government to weaken the existing traditional custom and practice of the indigenous tribes.
“We expect all the three allies of ARPA to back the building bye-laws of the KHADC which was formulated as per the provisions of the Meghalaya Town and Country Planning Act 1973. If both UDP and KHNAM are supporting the bye-laws of the Council then what is the difficulty for the HSPDP to support it,” Sumer asked.
He also questioned whether the HSPDP wants to come out of the ARPA by taking a separate stand on the twin issues.
He claimed that he had a discussion with few MDCs who also felt the need to convene the ARPA meeting to come to a unanimous stand.