By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Sep 12: The Congress party on Thursday slammed the Voice of the People Party for wanting the autonomous district councils (ADCs) to be done away with. The party also reminded the VPP that it introduced the Sixth Schedule in the Northeastern states.
Lone Congress MLA, Ronnie V Lyngdoh said the VPP is not the only party hoping to do well in the upcoming district council polls. “But it is a fact that the VPP wanted to do away with the ADCs,” he said.
Brushing the reported cracks within the VPP as an “internal matter”, he said the people have begun to realise the importance of the Sixth Schedule that Congress introduced in Meghalaya.
He said the Arunachal Pradesh Assembly passed a resolution urging the Centre to bring the entire state under the ambit of the Sixth Schedule while activists in Ladakh are pressing for the Union Territory to be under the Sixth Schedule.
“Our leaders are going to the people and telling them that Congress was instrumental in bringing this piece of legislation. Because of the Sixth Schedule, the minuscule indigenous population in Meghalaya is safe and their land, culture, and way of life is being protected,” Lyngdoh said.
On the possibility of the VPP doing well in the district council polls, he said the MDC elections are a different ballgame altogether from the Assembly elections.
“The people have tried many parties. They may try the VPP, which is new and has yet to test the (MDC) waters. Only time will tell if they can get the mandate of the people and live up to their expectations,” he said.