SHILLONG: A bill was introduced in the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) during the first day of its winter session here on Tuesday to penalise non-tribals who claim to be tribals.
The KHADC chief executive member H S Shylla placed the bill before the council. The bill is called the Khasi Hills Autonomous District (Khasi Social Custom of Clan Administration) Bill, 2018.
According to the bill, a non-tribal claiming to be a member of the Khasi tribe by taking a Khasi surname within the jurisdiction of the KHADC, for economic and personal interests, will face a jail term of three years along with a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh.
“It is expedient to provide a law for proper administration of clans (Kur) in order to conserve and grow the traditional matrilineal system of the Khasi society for the protection of their interest…,” a statement of the bill signed by Shylla said.
The statement also mentioned that the bill also aims to prevent the claims of Khasi status by unscrupulous persons purely for the benefit, concessions or privileges conferred on the Khasi as members of the ST by the Constitution.
“A large number of non-Khasi people have been misusing the Khasi Clan system for their personal advantage and self-interests thereby jeopardising and seriously disturbing the social, economic and cultural life of the Khasi people,” Shylla said.
The bill seeks to codify and regulate the system of Kur (clan) of the Khasi-Jaintia tribe being a matrilineal system dependent on a strong clan or Kur system.
The law provides for proper administration of clan (Kur) in order to conserve and grow the traditional matrilineal system of Khasi society for the protection of their interest and at the same time to prevent claims of Khasi status by unscrupulous persons purely for the benefits, concessions or privileges conferred on the Khasi as members of the Scheduled Tribe under the Constitution of India.
The other Bills introduced were KHAD (Appointment and succession of Syiem, Deputy Syiem, Electors and Rangbah Shnong of Mylliem Syiemship) (Third Amendment), Bill 2018, KHAD (Nomination, Succession and Election of Syiem, Deputy Syiem, Lyngskor, Bakhraw and Rangbah Shnong of Khyrim Syiemship) Bill, 2018, KHAD (Appointment and Succession of Sirdar and Matabor of Mawmluh Surdarship), Bill, 2018, KHAD ( Appointment and Succession of Sirdar and Matabor of Wahlong Sirdarship), Bill, 2018,KHAD ( Appointment and Succession of Sirdar and Headmen of Mawlong Sirdarship), Bill, 2018.
