SHILLONG/TURA: Alleging that non-Khasis claim Khasi surnames, the Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) state youth wing has petitioned the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) Chief Executive Member (CEM) and Deputy CEM saying the Lineage Act should be revoked if such misuse continues.
It has also demanded that the KHADC look into the Clan Bill to empower the different clans and unite them to ensure that stringent action be taken against people indulging in cheating.
According to KHNAM, the non-Khasis are using Khasi surnames to enjoy benefits entitled to the Scheduled Tribes and also to not come under the purview of the Trading License Regulation 1954.
The youth wing of the political party said that the non-Khasis can claim Khasi surnames only through an affidavit even though they do not understand the language and are unaware of the traditional customs of the community.
The KHNAM referred to the Khasi Hills Autonomous District (Khasi Social Custom of Lineage) Act, 1997, definition of a “Khasi” that has been defined as a person belonging to Khasi tribe who may be a Khasi, Jaintia, Pnar, Synteng, War, Bhoi or Lyngngam or who is recognised or deemed as such under prevailing Khasi Custom or this Act.
According to the KHNAM, KHADC should revoke the Lineage Act if the misuse of Khasi clan names by non-Khasis continues.
Meanwhile, the Garoland State Movement Committee has objected to the manner by which non-tribals are taking Garo tribal titles to take advantage of the benefits and also violating a Supreme Court ruling that bars other castes and communities from taking up tribal surnames.
The Garoland committee has stated that there are several instances in which non-tribals have changed their surnames to Sangma, Arengh, Shira, Marak and Momin despite being aware of its illegality.
The committee pointed out one such instance in South West Garo Hills district wherein one Hori Das, a resident of Betasing, changed his name and surname to Horidas D Sangma through an affidavit sworn before a 1st class magistrate in 2014.
The committee has termed the decision of the magistrate to allow a non-tribal to get bestowed with a tribal surname as nothing short of court contempt.
‘‘This is against the customary law and practices of our tribe and Supreme Court Judgment which states that ‘caste decided by birth, can’t be changed by marriage’. This is crystal clear and there cannot be any dispute that the caste is determined by birth and cannot be alterable by any means,” stated the committee.
It added that the affidavit was executed with the deliberate connivance of an “incompetent” 1st Class Magistrate that clearly attracted contempt of court.
“Such sinful and deliberate acts of irresponsible officers are threatening the survival and the future existence of the indigenous tribes of the region. We seek the immediate revocation of the order and to book the magistrate, advocate and other officers involved under the appropriate sections of law,” demanded the organization.
It may be mentioned that there are dozens of such instances of tribal names being taken by non-tribals in the plains belt region of West Garo Hills and even as far and remote as Baghmara in South Garo Hills.
In many cases local tribals have also been found conniving with outsiders in getting their names changed.
This mostly takes place in areas with a mixed tribal and non-tribal population as well as in inter-community marriages.
