From Our Correspondent
TURA, Feb 27: State BJP vice president and GHADC MDC from Tura, Bernard N Marak on Tuesday urged the state government to stop colonising A’kinglands as part of the municipality.
“I strongly oppose the attempt by the state government to urbanise the Akinglands. The state government should know that it violates Article 243ZC of the Indian Constitution. State should have sought consent from the Nokmas and GHADC before proposing to include Danakgre, Doldigre, Alotgre, Darechikgre, Duragre, Chasingre, Ballonggre and Rongkhongre Akhings in the Municipality,” Bernard said, adding the state was not an authority in the Scheduled Areas but Nokmas and ADCs are.
The opposition by the BJP leader comes after the government, in a notification, announced the finalisation of the Draft Risk Informed Based Master Plan for Tura including the several mentioned A’kinglands under the Municipality.
Bernard demanded that the state should stop all attempts to urbanise the villages under the Tura MDC constituency of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC).
“The state government authorities should refresh their understanding of the fact that why Hills were added to all administrative districts. Knowing this fact will make them know their constitutional place in the graph. Sixth Schedule to the constitution was given to the Hill tribes of the state by through the Constitution. Intruding into the Scheduled areas will not be tolerated by the BJP government,” he added.
According to the BJP leader, an agreement was signed in 2014 in Delhi to do away with the municipalities despite which, the Tura Municipal Board and other municipalities in Garo Hills have been functioning without proper permission of the Nokmas and the GHADC.
“The state government should not do this as municipalities impose tax on the tribals and tribals are treated as general imposing taxes which in the long run will impose unwarranted liability to pay income tax. In Tura constituency and all towns, municipality should be abolished and town committees should be installed,” he demanded.