By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Aug 28: KHNAM’s recent appeal to authorities to issue ST certificates only to Khasi, Garo, and Jaintia tribals has drawn sharp response from the Hajong Students Youth Voice (HSYV).
In a statement, chairman of the student group, Nobaram Hajong said KHNAM’s remarks declaring only Khasi, Garo and Jaintias as Meghalaya’s tribals are factually incorrect and divisive, as they discriminate against other recognised Scheduled Tribes (ST), including the Hajong community.
It may be recalled that KHNAM had on Friday urged Chief Secretary DP Wahlang to direct issuing authorities to strictly follow the Ministry of Home Affairs’ guidelines of 1975 and 1977 when granting ST certificates.
KHNAM working president Thomas Passah had also called on central institutions to ensure that ST quotas in Meghalaya are reserved exclusively for indigenous permanent residents of the state, namely Khasi, Jaintia and Garo communities.
“The Hajong people have a rich cultural heritage, known for weaving, handicrafts, and agricultural practices. They are recognised as a Scheduled Tribe under the Indian Constitution, with distinct language and customs. Khelaram Barman Hajong, a visionary leader, played a pivotal role in the Independence movement and in the development of Meghalaya,” Nobaram stated.
He added that although the Hajong community is smaller in number compared to other major tribes of Meghalaya, they actively participated in the struggle for a separate Hill State. During the Hill State Movement (1954–1970s), Hajong leaders stood in solidarity with other hill tribes, demanding separation from Assam to preserve the identity, culture, and rights of the hill people.
“Khelaram Barman Hajong and several other Hajong leaders were among the early activists who voiced the concerns of the people in the Garo Hills and Khasi-Jaintia Hills. They believed that inclusion in the new Hill State would safeguard the political, social, and cultural rights of smaller tribes like the Hajongs,” the statement noted.
The HSYV further recalled that Hajong leaders supported the All Party Hill Leaders Conference (APHLC), which spearheaded the Hill State demand. “The participation of Hajong representatives in delegations and memoranda to the Government of India highlighted the need for Meghalaya to represent all hill tribes, not just the major ones. The Hajong community also contributed by ensuring peaceful cooperation during negotiations that led to the Assam Reorganisation Act, 1969, and the eventual formation of Meghalaya on January 21, 1972. In doing so, Hajong leaders strengthened the solidarity of the Hill State Movement and ensured that their community, along with other minorities, was included in the framework of Meghalaya as a state for all hill tribes,” the group said