GCC to take amendment fight to MHA

SHILLONG, APR 19: Tribal chiefs of Meghalaya under the banner of the Grand Council of Chief (GCC) have decided to petition the centre opposing the proposed move of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to bring amendments to the sixth schedule of the Constitution.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the GCC held on Friday.

“We will send a petition to the union minister for tribal affairs V Kishore Chandra Deo to apprise him of the proposed amendments likely to be moved by the Ministry of Home Affairs and out opposition to it.” GCC chairman John F Kharshiing said.

According to the GCC, the proposed amendments to the sixth schedule do not reflect the solemn national commitment laid down in the treaties of the Instrument of Accession and Annexed Agreement accepted and signed between the Government of India and the 25 Khasi States on 17 August 1948 and instead threatens to undermined the very fabric of the unique Institutions of Dorbar Kur, Dorbar Shnong, Dorbar Raid and Dorbar Hima.

The chiefs  also expressed their surprise to the proposed amendments from MHA, when the fulfillment of the national commitments as laid down in the Instrument of Accession and Annexed Agreement is being looked after  by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, based on the directive from the National Commission for Schedule Tribes(NCST), of the Indian government.

The GCC also deliberated on the fact that the present sixth schedule of the Constitution of India is applied to the ten tribes with different customs, and traditional laws, under Autonomous District Councils in four states, Assam (3ADCs), Meghalaya(3ADCs), Mizoram (3ADCs) and (one) in Tripura.

The meeting also noted that the peace efforts and urgency to amend the sixth schedule has been primarily to accommodate the aspirations and peace accord settlements with various groups and ethnic tribes under Assam (Dima Hasao Autonomous Territorial Council; Karbi Autonomous Territorial Council  and in Meghalaya particularly under Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (Peace Accord with ANVC-B) including Mizoram and Tripura ADCs.

In this regard, the GCC urged the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and the Ministry of Home Affairs to consider separation of the sixth schedule into different schedules or parts so that it reflect the different Autonomous District Councils and tribes instead of clubbing them together under one sixth schedule which is causing immense confusion and misunderstanding, as the customs, the social practices, and traditional laws are very different from one Autonomous District to another.

It GCC also feels that Meghalaya should have three separate schedules namely one for Garo Hills District one for Khasi and one for Jaintia hills district which should reflect the aspirations of the respective tribes of the state.

The meeting also deliberated on the matters to be raised by its representatives at the first meeting of the seven members, KHADC Sub-Committee on the Sixth Schedule Amendment to be held on April 22, in the office chamber of the CEM. – By Our Reporter