SHILLONG, July 18: The KHADC on Tuesday submitted the joint resolution signed by the three autonomous district councils of the state to the Law Commission expressing their stiff opposition to the Centre’s proposal to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in Meghalaya.
KHADC CEM, Pyniaid Sing Syiem said the intention of the Government of India to implement the UCC was collectively opposed in the meeting held on July 5 with the stakeholders comprising the Federation of the Khasi States, KSU, FKJGP, HYF, members of the Synjuk ki Rangbah Shnong ka Bri Hynniewtrep and others.
According to him, their opposition is based on historical and constitutional facts which cannot be ignored in the context of the relationship of the Khasi- Jaintia people with the Union of India.
Syiem mentioned that in 1947, the people of the Khasi-Jaintia Hills agreed to join the Dominion of India through the Instrument of Accession and Annexed Agreement that was signed on August 17, 1947 and with the Constitution of India coming into force on January 26, 1950, the Sixth Schedule became the foundation of the protection of the unique identity, prevailing customary and traditional practices, the system of inheritance of land, marriage as well as the religious rights of the Khasi-Jaintia people.
He further stated that the prevailing customary laws and traditional rights of the Khasi-Jaintia people are special in the fact that this tribe is one of the few in the world along with the Garo tribe who follow the matrilineal system and this matrilineal system unless protected will be totally destroyed subverted and changed beyond recognition if the sanctity of the constitutional provisions protecting the rights of the Khasi-Jaintia people are not preserved under the Constitution of India.
He said that the introduction of the UCC would strike at the basic structure of the Constitution and destroy the very fabric of cohesion of diverse and different cultures unified today as modern India. The UCC will also violate Article 25 which guarantees the freedom of conscience and free profession, practice and propagation of religion, he said.
