SHILLONG, Feb 16: Frustrated by years of inaction and broken promises, the State BJP has turned to the Centre for intervention, accusing the state government of deliberately stalling the implementation of the Agreed Text for Settlement (ATS).
BJP Tura MDC and state party vice president Bernard N Marak has alleged that both the Congress and the ruling NPP for betraying the tribal people by failing to implement the agreement, which was signed in 2014 under BJP leadership at the Centre.
Raising the issue with former Home Minister Rajnath Singh in Delhi, Marak pointed out that while the BJP-led Central government took just six months to finalize the ATS, the Congress government in Meghalaya let it languish for over a decade.
The NPP, he alleged, has followed in Congress’ footsteps, ensuring that the settlement remains nothing more than words on paper.
“The agreement was signed in 2014 and 2025, not much changed came to ADCs. 10 years, the Autonomous District Councils are not handed over the 13 departments, no financial support and not even a single meeting in last five years,” said Marak further adding, “This is a clear act of sabotage against the tribal people of Meghalaya”.
Acussing the successive governments of taking advantage of the agreed text for settlement by hijacking all the funds to state departments, he said, “The Autonomous District Councils started getting special packages after signing of the agreement but the ruling party has misused the funds through their contractors leaving the ADCs in Meghalaya unable to submit the utilization certificates as most of the projects are duplicated and left incomplete”.
Stating that the BJP wants to empower the traditional institutions, traditional system,
local self-governance, rural and urban local bodies and direct funding from the Centre, he said, “ Congress and NPP leaders have sabotaged the agreement signed with the BJP government while the state reaps the benefits of the funds sanctioned from the Centre”.
He said, “The detailed list of incomplete projects, misuse of funds and deliberate delay in implementing the agreement will be raised with the Central leaders very soon”.
According to him the 125th amendment to the Sixth Schedule is due now as it was delayed because of the reluctant attitude of the state.
