By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, March 29: MDA 2.0 coalition partner BJP is not shy of being a critic of the state government. In an apparent populist move, the saffron party has flagged the issue of government usurping tribal land.
Calling out the government, the State BJP on Saturday asserted that no efforts by the state government can conceal the issue of tribal land grabbing and the violation of the Sixth Schedule in Meghalaya.
The matter was raised by party vice president and Tura MDC, Bernard N Marak in the wake of recent public outrage over the demolition of a World War I cenotaph in Tura, following which, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma moved into damage-control mode and suspended the redevelopment work at the site.
It was also announced that a new committee would be formed under the direct supervision of the chief minister.
“The work has been halted, and they are forming a committee, but we don’t know who will be included. The issue we raised is land grabbing because the land does not belong to them. That concern still stands,” the Tura MDC said.
Reacting to this development, Marak stated, “No matter what committee or decision they arrive at, they still have to address the land issue because the land does not belong to the government, and they cannot just take it away.”
He further added that the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) is in the process of issuing notices to various departments regarding the matter
Marak had earlier emphasised that the war memorial is located on tribal land and accused the state government of bulldozing ahead with redevelopment work without the consent of tribal leaders or elected GHADC representatives.
He described this as a blatant violation of the Sixth Schedule, accusing the government of encroaching on tribal land.
Additionally, he cautioned that departments failing to comply with the notices issued by the GHADC regarding the war memorial land dispute would face legal action.
