SHILLONG, Feb 5: UDP leader and Cabinet Minister Paul Lyngdoh on Wednesday criticised the VPP’s stance on Article 371, stating that a party cannot include an issue in its platform but exclude it from its manifesto. He also asserted that the UDP will educate the public on why Article 371 is not a viable option for Meghalaya.
“Well, it is a very powerful and intelligent interpretation of their manifesto. I think the public should know that. You can’t have something in your platform and then omit it from your manifesto,” Lyngdoh said in response to a query about the absence of Article 371 from the VPP’s manifesto for the ADC elections.
“This suggests that the party itself is unclear on the issue. As leaders, the first and foremost requirement is clarity of thought. You cannot aspire to enter the centre of power in the KHADC, advocate for Article 371, and then take an oath as MDCs — because that oath is to uphold the Sixth Schedule, which Article 371 contradicts,” he added.
Lyngdoh stressed that the Sixth Schedule and Article 371 cannot coexist within the same system, a fact he described as “clear as daylight.” Citing an example, he said, “In Mizoram, Article 371 applies to the entire state except for the three Autonomous District Councils (ADCs), which were created to serve non-Mizo tribal communities. This means Article 371 and the Sixth Schedule cannot function simultaneously, which is precisely why Mizoram’s ADCs exist.”
Referring to his own stance on the matter, Lyngdoh recalled, “In 2015, Ardent Basaiawmoit moved a resolution calling for the implementation of Article 371. It is on record that I participated in the debate to oppose the idea.”
Providing further examples, he explained, “Take Meghalaya’s Land Transfer Act — it applies across the state except for three municipal areas in Shillong. Why? Because Meghalaya is designated as a Scheduled Area under the Sixth Schedule. Similarly, 98% of Meghalaya is exempt from the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), with the law applicable only to three municipal wards in Shillong. The rest of the state is protected by the Sixth Schedule. Tampering with it would undermine the very foundation of Meghalaya’s statehood.”
Taking a dig at the VPP, he said, “If any party truly wants to implement Article 371, its first step upon being elected should be to pass a resolution for Meghalaya’s exclusion from the Sixth Schedule and its inclusion under Article 371. Is that feasible? Let the electorate decide.”
Responding to another query on VPP’s insistence on Article 371, Lyngdoh urged people to refer to legislative debates. “Debates in the House are sacrosanct; they are not just speeches made in a marketplace. I presented clear arguments on the House floor explaining why Article 371 is not a solution for Meghalaya.”
He lastly said, “It is easy to mislead people who are not sufficiently informed. As the UDP, we will continue to enlighten the public on why Article 371 is not an option for Meghalaya.”
