From Our Correspondent
TURA: At a time when questions are being raised about the tribal status of Meghalaya Chief Minister, Dr Mukul Sangma, fresh allegations have surfaced with the Garo Students’ Union (GSU), Assam State Zone (ASZ) making a strong claim that he became a Sangma even before his mother.
The GSU provided documentary evidence in the form of a Caste Certificate issued to Dr Sangma in 1982 and an electoral roll sheet of 58-Ampatigiri Assembly Constituency of 1983 and 2004 in which it clearly showed that Dr Sangma’s mother, Roshanara Begum changed her title to ‘Sangma’ only in the year 2004. As per the document she remained a Begum until 2003.
Interestingly however, Dr Sangma had already obtained a Scheduled Tribe Certificate on 23rd June 1982 and changed his title to Sangma.
The GSU claimed that Dr Sangma used the same Caste Certificate to contest the MLA Elections from the Ampatigiri Scheduled Tribes reserved seat in 1993, 1998, 2003, 2008 and 2013.
Stating that Dr Sangma became a ‘Sangma’ even before his mother, the GSU accused the Chief Minister of illegally grabbing the Tribal quota to which he was not entitled while adding that Dr Sangma should never have been able changed his title to Sangma according to the laws and traditions of the Garos.
While the GSU made it clear that it had no intention of asking the Chief Minister to step down it strongly demanded that the Caste Certificate of Dr Sangma be cancelled and that the National Register Census (NRC) also be adopted in the State of Meghalaya.
