Group condemns Dy CM’s remarks on non-tribal participation

TURA, March 7: The New Tura Development Forum (NTDF) has condemned the recent statement made by Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong that there are provisions in the Garo Hills Autonomous District (Constitution of District Council) Rules, 1951, which allow the non-tribal to contest the elections.
In a statement on Sunday, the Forum said that the deputy chief minister, instead of providing guidance to strengthen the institution to safeguard the interest of the indigenous tribes of Garo Hills, chose to issue such statements, thereby hurting the sentiments of the tribals.
“The autonomous district councils (ADCs) are created to safeguard the rights of the tribals, including the Garos, who have peculiar customary laws, traditions, cultural heritage, etc. So, allowing non-tribals to become members of the ADCs does not serve the very purpose of granting ADCs to the tribals of the region,” the Forum maintained.
Casting aspersions on Tynsong’s statement, the Forum demanded that the non-tribals are barred from contesting the GHADC elections and that all political parties, which have already allotted party tickets to them, immediately withdraw their candidatures from the upcoming GHADC polls.
The Forum also appealed to the people of Garo Hills to sensitise the masses on the prevention of entry of non-tribals into the GHADC.
Meanwhile, the A’chik Youth Council (AYC) from Williamnagar has expressed disappointment with the allotment of party tickets to non-tribals for the polls by certain political parties.
The AYC, while acknowledging that there was no rule to prevent the participation of non-tribals in the polls, said that their involvement was unacceptable to the indigenous community.