SHILLONG, July 7: Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) Chief Executive Member (CEM) Titosstarwell Chyne has said that the Executive Committee will soon invite the traditional heads to confer about various issues pertaining to the Instrument of Accession and Annexed Agreement.
In his reply to the motion moved by the Leader of Opposition in the KHADC Pynshngain N Syiem on the day two of the summer session of the KHADC on Thursday, Chyne agreed on the need to look back on the Instrument of Accession and Annexed Agreement, and understand the proposals that were there.
He said that the Executive Committee will invite the traditional heads and hold discussions on the agreement as long as the amendment to Sixth Schedule is not finalised.
Chyne contended that doing so will bolster the traditional system and protect the identity of the Khasis.
It is pertinent to note that 25 Khasi states had signed the Instrument of Accession and Annexed Agreement with the Dominion of India between December 15, 1947, and March 19, 1948. The conditional treaty with these states was signed by Governor General of India Chakravarty Rajagopalachari on August 17, 1948.
Earlier, the Leader of Opposition in the KHADC had stressed on the need to comprehend various paragraphs in the Instrument of Accession and Annexed Agreement signed by the Federation of the Khasi States with the Dominion of India.
“It is time that we discuss and understand the paragraphs of the Annexed Agreement. Many of the provisions which were there in the agreement are missing in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution,” Syiem said, moving a motion on the history of the Khasi before the Sixth Schedule came into existence and the role of the Federation of Khasi States.
According to Syiem, the Federation of Khasi States had proposed a special status for themselves.
“But this could not be entertained since it was too late. Nagaland got the special status under Article 371 A which was an idea proposed by the Federation of Khasi States,” the Leader of Opposition said.
Airing apprehensions about the future, Syiem said that provisions laid down under Sixth Schedule can always be amended by the Parliament.
Informing that the Khasi chiefdoms and Himas were powerful even during the British regime, Syiem said that the Britishers could not take over any plot of land due to the powerful system of the Himas which was in place.
Syiem also mentioned that after India got its Independence in 1947, the British could not transfer the 25 Khasi states to the Dominion of India.