SHILLONG: Referring to the border row between Meghalaya and Assam, the CEM of Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC), HS Shylla demanded the restoration of Block I and Block II to Meghalaya.
“Our demand is to restore the Block I and Block II from the Assam government and the central government will have to intervene,” he told reporters after the end of the Dorbar Hima held on Friday at Polo ground.
“How did we lose Block I and Block II? We are on the job to restore Block I and Block II to the KHADC. Our people there are suffering. It is the high-handedness of the then Assam government. We will consult the legal experts on the matter,” he added.
He pointed out that as per Article 1 of the Indian Constitution; the territory of India consists of the territories of the states, the Union territories and any territory that may be acquired.
“Khasi states do not fall in the category of Union territories or of the state and it was not acquired. We were only incorporated by the Constitution in the First Schedule. The Constitution guarantees that we’re part and parcel of this nation,” Shylla said.
He said one year after the Khasi states became part of India, Block I and Block II was cut off by the power of the Governor as per the Para 3 (e) of the Sixth Schedule of Indian Constitution and excluded Block I and Block II from the United Khasi and Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council and included in the United Mikir and North Cachar Hills district.
It may be mentioned that Block I and Block II covering an area of 1547.42 sq.km falls under the 12 areas of differences between Meghalaya and Assam.