SHILLONG, Aug 28: The Acting Syiem of Mylliem Ainam Manik Syiem has revoked the Sanad (appointment letter) of the three Rangbah Shnongs of Laitumkhrah – GM Bruce Sawkmie, SB Nongdhar and Andrew A Jyrwa.
Syiem issued the order revoking the Sanad following a complaint by a section of residents of the locality that the headmen failed to convene the meeting of the Dorbar Shnong for election of a new executive committee despite it having reached the end of its term.
In the order issued on Friday, Syiem said that he had to issue the order since the three Rangbah Shnongs have failed to convene the Dorbar Shnong after having reached the end of their term of office which is in contravention of the Mylliem Act, 2007 and Mylliem Rules, 2015.
“All the three can no longer perform the duties of the Rangbah Shnong immediately following the issuance of the order,” the Acting Syiem of Mylliem said.
It may be mentioned that Syiem had summoned the three Rangbah Shnong five times after receiving a complaint from the residents of the locality.
Interestingly, Syiem also appointed Jyrwa as the Acting Rangbah Shnong of Laitumkhrah while directing him to convene the meeting of the Dorbar Shnong within a period of one month.
Meanwhile, the other two Rangbah Shnongs (Sawkmie and Nongdhar) are unhappy with the order to revoke the Sanad and termed the decision of the Acting Syiem of Mylliem as arbitrary and biased.
Sawkmie who is also the former chairperson of the Laitumkhrah Dorbar Shnong Pyllun questioned the Acting Syiem of Mylliem for appointing Jyrwa as the acting Rangbah Shnong when his Sanad was also revoked.
“We feel that the Syiem should have put one of the Myntris to temporarily take care of the affairs of the Dorbar Shnong till a new body is installed. We suspect a hidden agenda on the part of the Acting Syiem of Mylliem to appoint Jyrwa as the acting Rangbah Shnong,” Sawkmie said.
He also stated that they have decided to seek the intervention of KHADC Chief Executive Member Titosstarwell Chyne as they are aggrieved by the action on the part of the acting Syiem.
Meanwhile, Sawkmie revealed that the problem started when they decided not to recognise the Seng Samla which was constituted without informing the executive committee.
Claiming that as per practice, the body of the Seng Samla will be first constituted at the block level and later at the level of the Shnong or the main body called the Seng Samla Laitumkhrah.
Sawkmie claims that Jyrwa constituted the body of the Seng Samla by including his close aides and used the members of the youth group that the executive committee did not recognise, to lodge the complaints before the Syiem of Mylliem adding that the president and secretary of the Seng Samla are signatories to this complaint.
“The Syiem of Mylliem cannot summon us unless there is a complaint by 50% of the electorate which is as per the rules,” he said.
He also clarified that the term of the executive committee is for three years and not one year as was stated by the people who have lodged the complaints.
According to him, the term of the executive committee ended in the fag-end of 2020 but they were unable to convene the meeting of the Dorbar Shnong due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They were planning to convene the Dorbar Shnong in October, Sawkmie said.
Meanwhile, the former chairman of the Laitumkhrah Dorbar Shnong Pyllun said that the Acting Syiem had also failed to provide the executive committee a copy of the complaint against them.
“We are in the dark on the contents of the complaint. We need to discuss the complaint in the executive committee and only then we will be able to respond to the summons of the acting Syiem of Mylliem,” he said.
Sawkmie also informed that he and Nongdhar had gone to meet the Acting Syiem only once to clarify on the complaints against the executive committee. He said that he could not attend some of meetings convened by the acting Syiem since he was unwell.
He also informed that he also filed an FIR on April 2 after the members of Seng Samla whom they had not recognised had intimidated them when they tried to hold the meeting of the executive committee.
Not only this, Sawkmie said that he also mentioned in the FIR that these youths had used foul language against them.
Meanwhile, the Acting Rangbah Shnong of Laitumkhrah said that there are reasons for the acting Syiem of Mylliem to revoke the Sanad.
“I accept with humility and a deep sense of responsibility the decision of the acting Syiem. I will try to convene the meeting of the Dorbar Shnong at the earliest,” Jyrwa said.
He further said that in a democracy everyone is entitled to his or her opinion.
“In this case, Sawkmie has every right to put forward his views. But allegations have to be substantiated with proof and certainty of truths, otherwise there will be repercussions,” Jyrwa said, adding that he had attended all the five summons of the acting Syiem of Mylliem because “I respect the authority of the Syiem”.
