By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Jan 31: The Voice of the People Party is facing a volley of fire from the UDP and the Congress for advocating the implementation of Article 371 in Meghalaya, which is already governed under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
Cabinet Minister and UDP leader Paul Lyngdoh dismissed the VPP’s proposal, stating that Article 371 and the Sixth Schedule are mutually exclusive.
“Wherever Article 371 is in place, there are no Autonomous District Councils (ADCs), and wherever there are ADCs, Article 371 does not apply. It is as clear as daylight, yet some individuals are misleading the public— perhaps because they are confused,” he said.
He added that applying Article 371 to a Sixth Schedule state would create unnecessary confusion.
Citing an example, he pointed out that barring three wards, the whole of Meghalaya was exempted from the Citizenship (Amendment) Act because of the protective provisions of the Sixth Schedule, which safeguard indigenous communities.
Lyngdoh also took a swipe at political rivals, stating that UDP is a party that believes in “walking the talk” rather than making grand speeches to incite crowds.
Highlighting the achievements of the UDP-led Executive Committee in the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC), he credited the party with bringing building bylaws under the jurisdiction of ADCs. He further noted that under the UDP’s leadership, about 500 people gained access to banking facilities through certificates issued by the ADC.
With political tensions heating up, the debate over Article 371 versus the Sixth Schedule continues to stir controversy, adding another layer to Meghalaya’s evolving political landscape.
Congress leader Ronnie V Lyngdoh also slammed the ‘double standards’ of the VPP by advocating the implementation of Article 371 while contesting the polls to both the KHADC and JHADC.
Talking to reporters, Lyngdoh said VPP chief Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit had stated that his party would demand the implementation of Article 371 if it came to power.
Urging the electorate not to be misled by the propaganda of the VPP, he said it was Congress that gave the Sixth Schedule which empowers the district councils to protect the rights of the indigenous people over land and to protect the traditional forms of governance such as Dorbar, Hima, and Raid.
Taking a dig at the VPP candidate from Mylliem, Aibandaplin Lyngdoh Nonglait, he said she misled the people by claiming that she had completed her education in theology when she campaigned during the 2023 Assembly election.
“We managed to get a copy of the affidavit she had filed during the Assembly election. We found in the affidavit that she completed her higher secondary from Laban Presbyterian School,” Lyngdoh, the Congress MLA from Mylliem said.
He stated that she exploited the regional sentiments of the people by claiming she did her theology.
Lyngdoh said if she could mislead the people before the election, one could imagine what she was capable of doing after winning the election.
The Congress leader further stated that the VPP is no different from other parties that try to play with the religious sentiments of the people.
“If we accuse the BJP of playing politics on religious lines, then the same applies to the VPP,” he said.