SHILLONG: The A·Chik Indigenous Justice Initiative Forum (AIJIF) have submitted a complaint to Home Minister Rajnath Singh regarding a memorandum which was issued to DoNER Minister Jitendra Singh by delegations from several organisations for minority tribes such as Hajongs, Rabhas, Kochs, Boro-Kacharies and Mann tribes.
The forum stated that the demands tabled by the minority groups would create chaos and disturb the harmony in the region as segregation and creation of an autonomous district council clearly indicates a larger vested interest of few unseen forces.
The memorandum in question contained several demands such as the creation of an Autonomous District Council, reservation of 10 seats in the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC), nomination members to the Council and nomination of one tribal gaonbura (village headman) to the Council.
The other main demand put forward by the delegation included job reservation in the GHADC for other tribes.
“The demand for creation of a new autonomous district council not only impregnates a sharp conflicting division between the minority tribes and other tribes of this region but also in due course of time, the element of segregation may manifest and surface itself in such a way which may threaten the age old communal harmony existing from time immortal between all the peacefully co-existing tribes in this region,” the forum said in its letter.
“These delegates of the aforesaid minority tribal organisations have submitted a memorandum placing their demands without consulting any of the prominent social organisations… like the Meghalaya Koch Association, All Bodo Students’ Union, All Rabha Students’ Union, Meghalaya Rabha Jatio Sewa Sangha, MSC of All Bodo Students Union, MSC of Bodo Sahitya Sabha and Meghalaya State Committee, Bodo Sahitya Sabha (who) have jointly stated that they have not made such a demand which certainly indicates an attempt to distort the communal fabric and hamper the social alignment of this region,” it added.
The forum also stated that the demands are incoherent and unreasonable since the minority tribes do not have the required population to either demand a separate district council or reservation.
The forum also said the GHADC should never introduce job reservation policy in future as it will set a wrong precedent affecting other district and territorial councils in the North East. Also, more power to gaonburas would undermine the power of the traditional heads or Nokmas, it observed.
“We strongly oppose the demands made by these delegates of the aforesaid mentioned tribal organisations,” it concluded.
