Centre miffed at state for ignoring Settlement Text

SHILLONG: The Ministry of Home Affairs has expressed dissatisfaction over the state government’s delay in fulfilling the various demands mentioned in the Agreed Text of Settlement.
In a statement issued to the media on Friday, former leader of the defunct ANVC-B Bernard N Marak said the state government not only failed to respond to “our queries in the last four years” but also did not reply to the Centre.
Marak, who attended the Joint Monitoring Committee meeting in New Delhi on Friday, said, “We were surprised to know that Meghalaya is against certain provisions of the proposed amendment to the Sixth Schedule. Several demands were opposed by the state. The underdevelopment of Garo Hills that triggered the armed movements is not allowed to take a new turn through the agreement.
However, the state wants to deprive the Garos of all privileges promised through the signed agreement.”
“The delay (in fulfilling the provisions of the agreement) is because our Garo leaders failed to address the aspirations of the people of Garo Hills. We will meet the chief minister and the home minister soon and apprise them of the negligence of the former government,” he added.
Those who attended the meeting on Friday wore black dress as a mark of protest against the state.
The monitoring committee will meet after a month in Tura where the chief minister and the chief secretary will be invited to discuss the provisions of the Agreed Text. The Centre has given a month’s time to the state government to prepare a reply.
Minority tribes
Marak said the demand of the minority tribes for autonomous regional council has been opposed during the meeting because “their demand for regional council and reservation does not hold ground as their participation was never opposed by Garos to which the Ministry of Home Affairs assured of not distorting the present structure”.
“It was an attempt to create a rift among the tribals living peacefully in Garo Hills,” he said, adding that they will invite minority leaders for talks.