Unrepresented tribes
TURA: The New Tura Development Forum (NTDF) has strongly condemned the statements of former MLA KC Boro and the Legal Rights Observatory (LRO) and said that both are not fully conversant with the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
With regard to Boro’s statement opposing the exclusion of other tribes from the Sixth Schedule and demanding that the Meghalaya Government should part with plain areas from Mendipathar up to Dalu via Tikrikilla, Phulbari, Rajabala, Ampati and Mahendraganj and hand them over to Assam, the forum warned that not an inch of Garo Hills will be parted and they would fight tooth and nail to preserve the territory.
“This statement should be condemned by all. By misleading the people, he is trying to divide them and break up the state by creating divisions between Garos and non-Garos. He is doing this to disrupt peace and create turmoil in Garo Hills which can lead to violent unrest,” the forum cautioned.
On the claim by Boro that non-Garos are not being provided with facilities, the forum asked, “If this was so, how did he become the MLA of Tikrikilla? How did Bhupendra Hajong get elected from Salmanpara, not to mention other non-Garo members who got elected from different constituencies in different elections? And how are non-Garos able to avail the government quota for higher studies and other government jobs?”
On the statement made by the LRO, the forum said that it was ignorant about Garo Hills and its people adding that their interest in the affairs of the region was questionable.
“The LRO in their letter to the Chief Minister claims that Garos came from Assam or Bangladesh post 1947. If the organization is based in Maharashtra, how is it they are interfering in Garo Hills as per their likings? Is the LRO really operating in Garo Hills? If so, who are its members and can anyone be named?” the forum questioned.
The forum said that the organization was blaming everyone- the District Administration, law and order agency, the State Government, the indigenous people, the Constitution, the NGOs etc, but that their false claims have been unearthed recently. “They have alleged that the minority Hindu community have been persecuted and discriminated during the Puja festivities.
However, newpaper headlines read ‘Colorful end to Durga Puja festivities in Garo Hills’.
Further, inquiries have proved that their allegations were wrong. All these have convinced us that the LRO is doing this to incite different groups of people to create communal tensions,” the forum alleged.
Meanwhile, the forum also held a meeting in this regard recently where it resolved to condemn the statements of Boro and the LRO.
The forum also demanded for an investigation to find out the activities of the LRO so that action can be taken against the organisation for issuing the sensitive statement.
