TURA: The United Hajong Development Organisation (UHDO) from Garo Hills has raised concern over the proposal to remove the words ‘Unrepresented Tribes’ from the draft Sixth Schedule amendment, which was moved by Congress MLA Ampareen Lyngdoh during the recently-concluded autumn session of the Legislative Assembly.
“The main objective of framing the Sixth Schedule is to see that the aspirations of all sections of tribal people in the state, irrespective of caste, creed or religion apart from the major tribes are assimilated with the mainstream of the country and we strongly oppose the stand of the MLA to remove unrepresented tribes from the draft amendment,” the President of UHDO, BC Hajong, said in a statement.
The organisation said that Hajongs and other tribes, the weakest sections of the society, are needed to represent both the state and the Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) to protect their rights provided in the Constitution and the Sixth Schedule for the administration of tribals, and urged the government to ignore the suggestion made by Lyngdoh.
On the statement made by another Congress MLA, George Lyngdoh, that ‘the Scheduled Tribe Presidential Order, 1950, needs to be corrected as there are many tribes listed in Meghalaya based on Presidential notification’, the organisation expressed resentment and said that tribes like Hajongs, Kochs among others share the same characteristics as Garos, Khasis and Jaintias.
“The existence of other tribes does not pose any threat to the major tribes of Meghalaya as we are accommodated with only 5% of the reservation quota. We request the government to consider our pleas and provide necessary special protection and safeguard our rights for growth as incorporated in the constitution of India,” it said.
