By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Aug 30: The Meghalaya unit of the Congress party has criticised the state government’s proposal to bail out the Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) financially, calling it unconstitutional and politically motivated.
Speaking to reporters on Saturday, MPCC secretary Manuel Badwar said such a move undermines the very principle of autonomy granted to the district councils under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India.
“Constitutionally, you are not supposed to do it. The district council is autonomous in its nature, and the district council has to remain autonomous. The chief minister, bailing out is just hogwash. It’s just something to show to the world that you care, but it sets a very wrong precedent. It’s more like using a magic wand for the GHADC,” he said.
Badwar cautioned that the decision could influence public opinion ahead of the upcoming Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) elections. He indicated Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma could use the bailout idea to his party’s advantage.
He, however, admitted that the district councils are struggling with inefficiency and poor governance.
“They constantly need help from the government. There’s no denying that many things are wrong with the ADCs, which are extremely low on efficiency. They need capable, qualified people willing to turn things around,” he said.
Acknowledging the internal challenges of the ADCs, Badwar insisted that a government bailout is not the answer. “Bailing out a district council once in a while will not help. The Sixth Schedule should not be diluted,” he said.
The Congress leader felt that the timing of the move was more political than administrative. His remarks underlined a sharp political divide on the issue, with the government defending the bailout plan and the opposition finding fault with it.
