Setting the political tone ahead of the impending Garo Hills Autonomous District Council elections, TMC Meghalaya Legislative Party Leader and Leader of Opposition Dr Mukul Sangma on Saturday made it clear that the Trinamool Congress is fully gearing up for the ADC battle, even as he launched a sharp critique of the government’s handling of autonomous district councils, warning that continued neglect, political poaching and financial strangulation threaten the very spirit of the Sixth Schedule. Emphasising the urgency of the electoral process, Sangma Sangma Urges Government to Notify GHADC Elections Immediately as the council’s five-year term is drawing to a close.
“TMC is participating in the elections, the party has already invited the applications from aspiring candidates and there are certain internal discussions that we are embarking upon. We are continuing this discussion and we will definitely have a strategy in respect of this GHADC elections.” Stressing the need for clarity on timelines, he added, “I hope the government notify the election immediately because as you are aware last year the election was on March ending April and the term that is usually the five year term is closing now because it has become necessary for all the political parties to definitely prepare for the election.”
Highlighting the unique political vulnerabilities of ADCs, Sangma underlined why candidate selection was being approached with extreme caution. “It is very important for us to understand the political dynamics that unfold after every election in respect of autonomous district council because unlike in the State Legislature and the Parliament the provision of the tenth schedule does not apply to the members of the autonomous district.” He said this reality makes political poaching easier and more frequent, adding, “Therefore it has become very necessary for the political party as far as we are concerned to look at people who are connected with the core values, with a true spirit of joining politics and being in public life, to serve the people, and protect the interest of the people and the state that must be the priority.”
Recalling past experiences, the former chief minister said, “So we will have exhausted exercise to zero down such people because you have seen in the past, many of our elected members of the district council, were victims of political poaching, it has become more frequent and more aggressive than ever before, which is a concern for every citizen.” Calling poaching a direct assault on democracy, he said, “It just nullifies the mandate, it just is in contradiction and the defeat of the mandate that people give, therefore in the true spirit of our democracy, every political party, I believe, must understand though despite the absence of the provision of tenth schedule to value and respect the mandate of the people.”
Sangma asserted that his party had consistently upheld this principle when it was in power. “We have done so in the past, I have led by example you will recall if you reconnect with the past that every time when there was a mandate in respect of GHADC, KHADC, or JHADC we have while being in power, while we have the privilege of running the state government, we have never tried to topple any executive committee in Autonomous District Council because we adhere to the core values of democracy.” He added, “We could have topple all those ECs which were led by other political parties while we were in government, we did not do it, in respect of GHADC you will see even though we were in the government, EC were led by NPP 2015-2026.”
Turning to the alleged deteriorating condition of the ADCs, Sangma made a strong pitch for collective action. “So we respect the mandate of the people, but in view of what the prevailing situation in respect of the ADCs, it has become necessary for the people of the state to come together.” He said the crisis was unprecedented, pointing out, “Today if we look at the developments that that has unfolded in the preceding years, how can anybody presume and assume that the ADCs can function when their employees are not paid salaries continuously for 43-44 months. It has never happened in the past, in the history of Meghalaya.”
Referring to constitutional safeguards, Sangma said, “I have always referred to article 275 (i), what does it say, that the parliament shall earmark adequate amount of funds charged on the consolidated funds of the Union government, charged it is not voted, that means it is understood as to how much is needed… including augmenting the level of governance and administration of the sith schedule areas.” He asserted that neither the Centre nor the state could escape responsibility, adding, “So, therefore, the responsibility is vested upon the Union government through the parliament, as well as the state, so nobody can shrug off this responsibility.”
Questioning the intent of the present dispensation, Sangma said, “I have reasons to believe that they have some kind of probably, in other words, I have to ask them, whether they intend to slowly watch district council to become weaker and weaker.” Calling the Sixth Schedule a vital safeguard, he warned, “Today, the provision of sixth schedule is the only weapon, only legal and constitutional weapon given to our tribals… we must understand its importance, its relevance and we must all therefore come together.”
Issuing what he termed a clarion call, Sangma said, “When it comes to the election in respect of district council… we must all come together, we must think the interest of the Jaidbynriew, put the interest of the Jaidbynriew, put the interest of the people before anything else, that must be the resolve.” On the contentious AD Rules, he added, “This is a matter of discussion and this matter must be discussed in right earnest… it is always good to put our heads together and have a brainstorming session.”
On poaching of MDCs and control over land and resources, Sangma cautioned, “District council doesn’t belong to any political party… you are dealing with the concerns of protecting and preserving our identity, our culture our way of life and most important parties that being the owners of the resources.” Warning against what he described as dangerous trends, he said, “Land acquisition etc, etc, land bank this and that it’s a very dangerous trend… it will ultimately enable that kind of back door entry wherein the system which is being tampered upon will in a enable people who are eyeing our land and resources to have ownership over them.”
Launching a stinging attack on the ruling party, Sangma concluded, “The action speaks and reflects their mind… it is proven beyond reasonable doubt that the political party who is presently holding the responsibility and power thereof has shown complete lack of responsibility and insensitivity towards dealing with the issues,” asserting that this neglect has left the district councils unable “to respond to their Call of Duty in conformity with the mandate of the Constitution.”
