Referendum on separate Khasi-Garo states sought

SHILLONG: United Democratic Party (UDP) working president Jemino Mawthoh has called for a referendum on the issue of separate states for Khasis and Garos.
Speaking to The Shillong Times on Thursday, Mawthoh said there should be a referendum and people should have the power to decide whether both the communities want to remain together or be separated.
Stating that the party does not have any stand on the matter, he said there is also a need to look at the pros and cons of both communities staying together in one State or getting separated with two different states.
He said the party wants development to reach all corners of the State in uniformity even as he stated that the entire issue needs to be looked at in a different perspective.
According to Mawthoh, Northeastern states are quite small in comparison to states of the rest of the country.
He said that all that depends is how the states are administered and how development reaches all nook      and corner of the state in uniformity.
From time and again, the issue of separate state for Garos and Khasis has been raised and people even led a movement in Garo Hills demanding a separate ‘Garoland’ for the Garo community.
Earlier, newly elected Tura MP Conrad K. Sangma too had endorsed the idea of a separate Garoland which according to him will bring administration and development closer to the people.