SHILLONG: The Congress party cited anxiety over CAB as the main reason for the instability in the autonomous district councils of the state.
Accusing the NPP-led MDA coalition government for not being aggressive as other states of the North East against the CAB, senior Congress leader Ampareen Lyngdoh, while referring to the ongoing instability in the KHADC and GHADC, said there is anxiety that is prevalent in the entire state.
“We have seen that the main reason behind the EC failing in KHADC is the fact that the Sixth Schedule agenda and concerns over CAB have not been taken seriously and now you are seeing the replica in Garo Hills also,” she said.
Talking about the probable causes that led to the instability, Lyngdoh said, “Most likely the entire details have not been adequately shared with the stakeholders and now you are deciding the fate of a particular district council by changing the numbers from this to that and ignoring the fact that there could be a major dilution of the Sixth Schedule and so there will be this kind of results”.
“MDCs are now feeling responsible that nothing sufficient has been done. I would believe that all the other debates around the district councils and the ECs actually changing have various reasons, also the entire threat of CAB which is another major thing,” she added.
Stating that there is a projection that because of the liaison that NPP has with NEDA there is a strong possibility that there could be some pressure being put in by the Government of India to ensure that all members of the NEDA actually listen to what the Centre is saying, Lyngdoh said.
“There is this perception and we are worried because if there is going to be a soft line and chief minister saying that we are going to look at the details of the CAB before we decide what line of action to take. It is a very dangerous line taken by the government of the day”.
She said there is a worry that the NEDA members will conform to the decision of the Centre on CAB.
Pointing out that a government should lead by example, Lyngdoh said, “We are of the impression that a government should lead by example and say it like the chief ministers of Mizoram and Nagaland said that we will not accept the CAB”.
She also pointed out all other states of the NE are covered by the special Article 371 and it is this article which will protect them in the event of a Central Act coming into force but Meghalaya does not have that protection.
“I reiterate my stand on Article 371 that there is this anxiety that we need to sort it out and put it in the right perspective. If the government of the day does that then I don’t think there will be much political instability but if that goes wrong then we are in trouble”.
“I have a feeling that the instability that you see in the district councils is predominantly because of that,” she added.
