TURA, March 8: Various organisations in Garo Hills on Monday cast aspersions on Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong and Congress leader Mukul Sangma for their statements supporting the participation of non-tribals in the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) elections.
While Tynsong had quoted provisions in the Garo Hills Autonomous District (Constitution of District Council) Rules, 1951, which allow non-tribals to contest the polls, Mukul, on the other hand, had maintained that non-tribals have the right to GHADC polls.
Lambasting Tynsong’s statement, the organisations under the umbrella of the All Garo Hills Joint Action Committee (AGHJAC), said that instead of safeguarding a tribal institution like the GHADC, the deputy CM has supported the participation of non-tribals in its elections.
“The provisions of the Green Book & the Autonomous District Council Rules (ADC Rules), based on which GHADC is governed, are completely silent about seat reservation for non-tribal candidates. People who are at the helm of administration like Prestone Tynsong must be well conversant with such rules but unfortunately, he is still ignorant of the golden rules for the survival of the tribal people. Prestone has no moral ground to continue with the coveted portfolios that he presently holds and must quit immediately,” AGHJAC said.
The organisation also termed Mukul’s statement as “irresponsible and dangerous” and sought an apology from the former CM.
