SHILLONG: Former leader of the disbanded A’chik National Volunteer Council Bernard N Marak has decided to appeal before Supreme Court after the High Court here dismissed the public interest litigation (PIL) filed against GHADC, Mauza X and Land Transfer Act.
In a statement issued here on Wednesday, Marak said the GHADC and all other parties that tried to distort the traditional system by violating the law of the land and manipulating the age old customary practices would be made respondents.
“The PIL was not personal but filed in the interests of the people living in Tura area who are victims of the general system in the hill district. Locals are made to embrace the general system over traditional system of administration violating the original law of the land. Some vested interests made an issue out of Nokmaship which was acknowledged by the Court while passing judgment. So the matter will have a new dimension in the new petition,” he said in the statement.
“Common people are made victims of atrocities, direct and indirect taxes right from trade to vehicle parking to house holding but no one actually knows why we pay them when they are not even owners of land?”
“We, as common men are still confused why Garos should pay taxes for trading in Tura or parking on roadside?” the statement said.
“Tura was once a free town but now it has become a taxed area,” he said
” Huge revenues are collected from tribals and general alike. But who is gaining out of it?” he added.
Marak further said the Akhing Nokma has washed her hands over Mauza X by signing an agreement with the Chambugong Association
“Garos are victims of a very big political and social conspiracy,” he said.
Marak said the matter would be challenged legally in Supreme Court as the common public cannot be victimised by a system simply for being ignorant.
“It is a planned and strategic move by people who are hand in glove in violating the tribal identity of Tura,” he said in the statement.
