SHILLONG, April 9: In its Lok Sabha election manifesto released on Tuesday, the Regional Democratic Alliance (RDA) vowed to oppose Uniform Civil Code and anti-conversion laws and advocate strong legislations to punish those who commit crimes against Christians and other religious minorities.
The manifesto committed to making significant efforts to evaluate the arrangements for foreign funding to Christian organisations and other religious minorities.
Stating that the RDA will take steps to seek the exemption of Meghalaya from the purview of Citizenship (Amendment) Act, the manifesto said the alliance will oppose the imposition of the Hindi language in the state, one nation one culture, one nation one language, one nation one religion or any anti-minority laws and policies.
“Beef ban will be vehemently opposed as part of the measures of protecting the secular ideology and policy,” the manifesto said even as it added that review of the India-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship, 1950, will be a top priority on the list of issues concerning foreign affairs.
The RDA promised to aggressively pursue the demand for the implementation of inner line permit. It said efforts will be made to address the issues of border fencing and the setting up of a border wing of the police.
While batting for peaceful talks with the HNLC and other militant groups, the RDA said steps will be taken to tighten the anti-corruption law and set up processes for conducting social audits of all government projects and programmes.
“Opposition to uranium mining in the state is on top of the list because it may affect the environment adversely,” the RDA said and promised that it will push for the review of ST and SC lists in the state.
The RDA promised to pursue the inclusion of Khasi and Garo languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution and push for making Khasi and Garo as qualifying languages for recruitment to central government institutions in the state.
The alliance also said that the policy to reserve 44 per cent of Group C and Group D posts in central institutions/offices need to be executed in letter and spirit. It promised to strengthen the autonomous district councils.
Meanwhile, UDP working president Paul Lyngdoh termed RDA’s Shillong candidate Robertjune Kharjahrin as the “dark horse”.
Stating that RDA constituents UDP and HSPDP are engaging with the voters in all 36 Assembly segments falling under the Shillong Lok Sabha seat, Lyngdoh claimed the response has been overwhelming so far.
“We are concentrating more on meeting people at community level through their backyard rather than having street-level meetings,” he said.
