By Our reporter
SHILLONG: Professor Xavier Mao, Department of Philosophy, NEHU has clarified that the allegation made by Headman Dilip Sangma and others of Abri village, located at Raid Marwet 9th mile Baridua (Hima Mylliem), Ri Bhoi, is baseless and was intended to malign his image.
A Naga lady S Kaikha during a press conference on Wednesday had alleged that Xavier Mao led a group of people against her. The headman had refused to provide NOCs to the tribals from other states who wished to purchase land in the village.
Mao said that the story of ‘threatening’ is aimed at covering up the complicity of Sangma with Kaikha who acted with motivated and vested interest in committing forgery for all co-purchasers who jointly purchased a plot of land from a private land owner.
He further alleged that on March 23, when some of the co-purchasers went to Sangma, a Karbi married to a Garo, in connection with division and demarcation of the jointly purchased land,the headman stated that witnesses are required to divide the land among the purchasers.
“When the co-purchasers went to the headman to get the title of their respective portion of land, he brought 67 witnesses along with Kaikha and Rinkumoni Marak.
Twenty of those women witnesses, who were the dwellers of Pillingkata village, giving false reason that they came from far off places demanded Rs10,000 per head and the remaining 47 villagers demanded Rs 1,000 each apart from the demand for a grand lunch with pork and fish just for merely standing there as witness for only two hours,” Mao said.
He said that the genuineness of the allegation by the headman can be judged as the question of NOC does not arise until the remaining part of the land is divided among the buyers. As per procedure individuals can ask for NOC only when the land title is obtained, he added. At a certain point, the headman stated that the remaining portion of the land would be divided. Mao then lodged a complaint with) the Deputy Syiem’s office at Raid Marwet, who, on phone admonished the headman for misuse of power and for violation of well laid rules in such matters of division of land under the local durbar, Mao said. Consequently, when Mao approached the headman the following day, he refused to proceed for the division of land, as his role was exposed and as the higher authority had admonished him.
The Deputy Syiem issued three summonses to Kaikha, headman Dilip Sangma and Rinkumoni Marak and Mao. All the three times, the headman avoided appearance before the deputy syiem, while the purchasers of land registered their attendance, Mao said.
Mao had filed an FIR with SP, Ri Bhoi against Kaikha, Dillip sangma (Headman) and Rinkumoni Marak for cheating, forgery and extortion of money from the co-purchasers following which they came out with an argument about Ri Raid land, which the professor held false and baseless.
Moreover, the headmanship of Sangma has been cancelled by the Deputy Syiem of Raid Marwet owing to the ambiguity in his identity, Mao stated.
“It is also learnt from a reliable source that Rinkumoni Marak was imprisoned in Assam over child trafficking charges. Currently she has been socially boycotted by the headman of Pillingkata village Robert Sangma, who is the younger brother of Rinkumoni’s father,” he said.