SHILLONG, SEP 9: Leader of Opposition and former Chief Minister Dr. Mukul Sangma on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on the state government over its handling of issues concerning the Autonomous District Councils (ADCs), accusing it of playing politics and attempting to weaken constitutional provisions meant to safeguard tribal identity and culture.
Talking to Media persons after the Assembly session, Dr. Sangma questioned the Deputy Chief Minister’s reply on ADC affairs, terming it “defensive.” He said, “No, you see that reply of deputy chief minister of district council affairs were more defensive because is it not a fact that they have already say that from 1 November they will start giving the salary from the government directly to the employees of the district councils, there was no question of any discussion or any engagement, it is a ninja response because they know that these issues coming up in the house so they had to come up with the terms of reference.”
He further asked, “Why didn’t they give the terms and reference earlier, what was preventing them from engaging with ADCs or with any political party, no one is ever accepted, you can bring up that kind of paper and notification anytime post dated, predated or whatever impromptu.”
Stressing on the constitutional mandate, Dr. Sangma asserted, “Please understand that the constitutional provision is strong enough to take care of the resources of the ADCs, there’s no other and you have also heard me speaking about information which was given by the government of India during the time when I had the privilege of running the government.”
He recalled a communication from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) during his tenure. “There was a letter from MHA asking the state government to postpone the propose election to GHADC, reason the government intended to proceed with the proposed Amendment of the Sixth Schedule to give effect to the tax agreement which was entered into by Government of India, state government and then ANVC.”
Pointing out that the proposed amendments have not yet been implemented, Dr. Sangma said, “If Government of India has not yet eminent that these necessary propose amendments which was required to give effect to this tax settlement agreement, then it is incumbent upon the state government to pursue Government of India because the intent is to strengthen the ADCs, not weaken and to strengthens that means including the subjects and the resources.”
Highlighting the State Finance Commission Act of 2012, he said, “The mandate require the government to constitute a finance commission to look at the resources which should be transferred from the resources of the state to the district council as per the requirement that means for both revenue and capital expenditure based on the mandate of the constitution.”
He underlined that ADCs and the Sixth Schedule are crucial for safeguarding tribal interests. “You have subjects, you have the responsibilities vested upon the district council which is very important for the tribal, see ADCs and Sixth Schedule they are weapons of the tribal to protect our identity, our culture, they are the legal and constitutional weapons. Now, if a government of the day tries to weaken this weapon, which goes against interesting of the people, it is simple.”
Taking a direct swipe at the ruling dispensation, he added, “Do you have helper in the house, if I that I will give salary to your employee, what will you say, ADCs are autonomous, it is the constitutional provision which says that ADCs are autonomous, now they said that I will give salary to your employees, it is not politics, it is politics, so they are playing politics, they don’t understand the definition of politics.”
