SHILLONG: BJP leader K C Boro has once again asked the government to review its decision to exclude unrepresented tribes from the Sixth Schedule.
The former minister requested the government to protect the interest of the minority tribes by way of introducing special reservation and special provisions for them to ensure their all-round development.
In response to the statement made by pressure groups from Garo Hills — ADE, AYWO, GSU and FKJGP, Tura — against his stand, Boro said that the NGO leaders have misunderstood and misinterpreted what he had said earlier which is unfortunate.
The pressure groups had accused Boro of dividing the people.
“I have not said anything against anybody. My fight is neither against any community nor against any individual. It is a fight only against the government and its decision to exclude the indigenous minority tribes (officially called other tribes) of Meghalaya such as Hajongs, Koches, Rabhas, Boro- Kacharis and Manns from the Sixth Schedule which is against the interest of the tribes. What I am talking is for the community, for the people and not for my political gain”, he said.
According to Boro, everyone has the right to love his or her community, his or her people.
“ I am no exception to that and I feel that it is not wrong and not a sin. It is just natural. So my love for the community does not mean I hate other communities and other people”, he said.
Boro said his intention was not to create enmity or to divide people. Rather he was trying to create unity and establish a sense of fraternity and oneness among the indigenous tribes irrespective of major or minor tribes. He also asked the Legal Rights Observatory not to interfere in future by raking up the issue.
He said the Hajongs, Koches, Rabhas, Boro- Kacharis and Manns are not unrepresented
He said the Hajongs, Koches, Rabhas, Boro- Kacharis and Manns are not unrepresented but under-represented and underprivileged tribes of the state who need special care and help from the government to develop on a par with the rest of the major tribes of the state.
Giving an example, Boro, who is also the State President of Kisan Morcha of the BJP, said that the state has around 1000 doctors but hardly 30 to 35 are from the minority tribes.
In this context, he said other tribes need extra reservation and special provisions in every field so that they can grow together with the major tribes of the state which is the basic purpose of reservation, he said.
He wanted to know what exactly was the government doing for the backward tribes of the state.
“The government is deliberately making an attempt to victimise and deprive the tribes of their legal and constitutional rights categorising and clubbing them with Naga, Mizo, Manipuri and others”, he said.
According to Boro, the Hajongs, Koches, Rabhas, Boro-Kacharis and Manns, unlike Naga, Mizo, Manipuri and others are aboriginal indigenous tribes of the state like Garos, Khasis and Jaintias and as such they should be treated equally.
However, he said although Dalus, Banais and Barmans are indigenous tribes, they are yet to be recognised as ST under the Sixth Schedule.
He also asked the NGO leaders to fight together for the cause.
