From Our Correspondent
JOWAI, Feb 5: The Jaintia National Council (JNC) on Thursday staged a protest on the premises of Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC), raising concerns over continued marginalisation of the Pnar language in the council’s functioning as well as the unchecked illegal trading activities carried out by non-tribals in Jaintia Hills.
The protest was staged as the JHADC failed to fulfill promises made to the organisation earlier.
The JNC reiterated that the Pnar language is intrinsic to the identity, culture, and everyday life of the Jaintia people, and therefore, must be accorded its rightful place in all official affairs of the JHADC.
Despite the council having approved the A-B Jaintia alphabet and its subsequent notification in the Meghalaya Gazette, the use of Pnar in legislative proceedings, administrative orders, notifications, and institutional communication remains largely minimal and symbolic.
The JNC demanded the immediate and full incorporation of the Pnar language and the A-B Jaintia script in all legislative, administrative, and educational institutions functioning under the JHADC’s jurisdiction.
Addressing the gathering, JNC president Sambormi Lyngdoh criticised the JHADC’s failure to actively pursue a resolution urging the state government to include the Pnar language under the Meghalaya State Language Act.
He emphasised that recognition of Pnar is not a symbolic exercise, but a crucial step toward protecting the customs, traditions, and matrilineal practices of the Jaintia community, particularly in matters concerning traditional titles and inheritance through the maternal line.
The second major issue highlighted during the protest was the alleged illegal and irregular trading activities carried out by non-tribals in the JHADC area.
The JNC alleged that trading licences are being issued or renewed without proper scrutiny, enabling non-tribal traders from outside the state to operate in clear violation of protective laws meant to safeguard the economic interests of indigenous tribal communities.
Lyngdoh further stated that the failure to strictly enforce licencing norms has resulted in substantial revenue loss to the District Council, depriving it of critical funds required for development and settlement of pending dues.
In his address, JHADC Chief Executive Member (CEM) Thombor Shiwat reportedly expressed concerns regarding institutional weaknesses of the District Council and requested that the speech be halted.
Subsequently, following assurances from the CEM and the Deputy CEM to address the demands raised by the JNC, the organisation decided to suspend the protest, granting the JHADC time to initiate corrective measures.
The JNC, however, cautioned that if the council fails to take concrete action within the stipulated period, the organisation would be compelled to intensify its agitation and adopt more stringent measures.
