SHILLONG: The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) has a veteran, Martle Mukhim, who returned to the council after 11 years, and a young politician, Bajop Pyngrope, who was elected for the first time.
Speaking to reporters recently, HSPDP MDC Mukhim expressed happiness at being back at the place where he once worked recalling the times when he was one of the MDCs who wanted to upgrade the district council.
“There is a thirst in me to strengthen the district council because its very presence is to safeguard the interest of the Khasi community,” he said.Asked on the petition questioning the relevance of the district council, he remarked, “I am dead against that. It is wrong to do away with the district council. Is there any ground?” For Mukhim, the district council is another institution that seeks to strengthen democracy in the Khasi Hills. He lamented that traditional institutions of the Syiems, Myntris, Lyngdohs, Sordars are not recognised and stressed that it should be done. He expressed concern that the state government did not keep the district council in the loop and downplayed its importance.
He said, “I have seen outside forces look down upon the district councils. I cannot comprehend such thinking.” He said that the state government cannot go ahead with projects and programmes without getting the green signal from the district council.
He argued that the railway line at Byrnihat was not discussed with the district council and that the international border fencing cannot continue without an NoC from it.
“From where did they get the authority? Why has the district council remained silent all this time?” he asked.
Mukhim listed some of the priorities for the district council starting with the codification of laws which aims at strengthening the traditional institutions and studying the Land Bill.
He said the district council’s primary function is to uphold the customary practices of the tribal communities while development is secondary.
“District council is mainly for the maintenance of customs, land and language. If that is maintained, then development will follow,” he said.
Meanwhile, newly elected 27-year-old Congress MDC Bajop Pyngrope said he will gain much experience being in the opposition and will check the performance of the executive committee (EC) to ensure it is for the public.
The young politician, who entered politics in 2012 and joined Congress in 2014, intends to rake up the lingering inter-state border dispute with Assam.
He alleged encroachment by Assam in some of the villages in West Khasi Hills and the disappearance of some voters’ names from the electoral rolls.
