TURA, Feb 24: The Federation of Khasi-Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP) on Wednesday appealed to one and all to abstain from participating in the forthcoming Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) polls and denounce the move to allot party tickets to non-tribals.
“The political parties are well aware of the fact that the FKJGP and other organisations have always opposed the participation of non-tribals in the GHADC elections, both as candidates and voters, and for which we have always voiced our opposition. It may also be mentioned that it is not only the aspirations of civil society organisations but of the Garo People in its entirety,” FKJGP president, Pritam Arengh, said.
He recalled that the FKJGP along with the GSU, ADE and AYWO had also called for the boycott of the last GHADC election in view of the same issue, which resulted in a low voter turnout at that time.
Arengh asserted that while the FKJGP does not hold any grudge against any individual for participating in other elections, the participation of non-tribals in the Council polls, either as a candidate or a voter, would always be a bone of contention for the Federation as the same will dilute the autonomous district council. “We challenge any political party to explain to us how non-tribal communities can be a part of any autonomous district council, which is a product of the Sixth Schedule that exclusively adheres only to the affairs of the tribal people of India,” Arengh said.