By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Sep 3: The Meghalaya Indigenous Minority Scheduled Tribes Forum (MIMSTF) on Wednesday met Chief Secretary and State Vigilance Commissioner, DP Wahlang to submit a memorandum seeking action against what it described as a divisive narrative by Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) working president Thomas Passah.
The forum cited a report published on August 22 in The Shillong Times, in which Passah was quoted as urging the government to reserve Scheduled Tribe (ST) quotas in Meghalaya exclusively for the Khasi, Jaintia, and Garo communities. He had reportedly asked authorities to follow Ministry of Home Affairs guidelines issued in 1975 and 1977 when granting ST certificates, and to restrict eligibility for special recruitment drives, such as those of the BSF, to the three major tribes.
The MIMSTF argued that such a stance was discriminatory against other recognized Scheduled Tribes of Meghalaya, including the Rabha, Hajong, Koch, Boro, Mann, and Karbi communities.
The forum noted that these groups are duly recognised under the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order of 1950 and subsequent amendments, including the North-Eastern Areas (Reorganisation) Act of 1971 and later modifications in 1976 and 2002.
According to the memorandum, the forum asserted that the constitutional rights and identity of all recognized tribes are protected under law, and that remarks excluding them from the scope of ST benefits in Meghalaya were unacceptable. The MIMSTF asserted that political leaders and parties should refrain from spreading divisive narratives and instead work towards unity, inclusiveness, and respect for every community.
It urged the Chief Secretary to take appropriate action and issue a formal response to what it termed an unprecedented statement seeking to marginalise the constitutional rights of the state’s minority tribes.