SHILLONG: The concerned citizens of Garo Hills in an emergency meeting held on Friday wanted the repeal of Garo Customary Laws Act passed by the GHADC.
The citizens also said that there should be a referendum on the matter and it should be put up for public scrutiny.
According to the citizens, the codification of the law was not transparent in nature.
“The codification is supposed be only a recording of practices, customs and traditions of tribes and not enactment and enforcement of laws. The passing of the Bill has been arbitrarily done and imposed upon,” the statement of a group of citizens said on Friday.
They also wanted to know whether the Act will make the nation progressive or regressive in this age of globalization as the Act is found to be divisive and not cohesive.
With an intention to further pursue the matter, the citizens have formed All A’chik Citizens Forum as ad hoc committee with Gamchi Timre R. Marak as president and Giribala G. Momin as vice president among others.
Allegation against Conrad and James
On the other hand, social activist Bappun Sangma alleged nepotism and illegalities in the GHADC stating that misuse of power by the NPP-led Executive Committee is rampant.
“The autonomous status of GHADC is being undermined due to the illegal and unconstitutional allotment of various haats under the District Council after recommendation by Dadenggre MLA James K Sangma and his younger brother and Tura MP Conrad K. Sangma,” Bappun Sangma said in a statement.
Bappun said that the issue will be pursued by him with whichever alliance that forms the EC.
According to the social activist, on October 27, 2016, the Secretary to the Executive Committee, GHADC, Tura, called for tender for setting up of various haats in Garo Hills as is done every year.
“After opening the tenders, the screening committee selected the winning bidders for the haats and recommended the names, however the GHADC kept silent and did not allot the haats to anyone,” Bappun alleged.
According to the social activist, much to the surprise of those who bid for the legal tender, persons recommended by the Dadenggre MLA and the Tura MP were allotted the haats in March this year.
