Launching a scathing critique of New Delhi’s approach towards Meghalaya, Voice of the People’s Party (VPP) chief Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit on Monday accused the Centre of adopting a “stepmotherly attitude” towards the state, asserting that indigenous tribes of Meghalaya have repeatedly been denied their rightful place in India’s constitutional and developmental framework. Setting a strong historical and political context, Basaiawmoit said Meghalaya today stands at a critical crossroads after missing three defining opportunities that could have decisively shaped its destiny, governance autonomy and economic prosperity.
Speaking at length, the VPP chief underlined that the first and perhaps most crucial missed opportunity was Meghalaya’s exclusion from Article 371, which grants special powers to certain states. “today i would like to speak about three miss opportunities as the indigenous tribal of Meghalaya firstly. We missed the opportunity of becoming the State on the article 371 where more powers are given the state. To administer and governance itself. Where no act of parliament Can apply in respect of social religious practices of the particular state. Ownership and Transfer of land and its resources. Administration of civil and criminal justice, according to the customary laws of that particular indigenous tribe in the particular state,” he said, stressing that such constitutional protection could have safeguarded indigenous identity, land and customary practices more robustly.
Basaiawmoit went on to flag what he termed the second historic lapse, referring to territorial issues dating back to the post-Independence period. “Secondly. We missed opportunity to oppose the transfer. Of block I and Block II, into Mikir Hill In 1951, and to ask for its inclusion in Meghalaya in 1969,” he said, indicating that political inertia and lack of assertiveness had long-term consequences for the state’s territorial integrity.
Turning to the third missed opportunity, the VPP chief lamented Meghalaya’s failure to convert its immense natural wealth into sustained prosperity. “Thirdly, We miss the opportunity Of transforming Meghalaya into one of the top states in India despite huge potential in mineral, Water, natural resources and now, We have only one last opportunity. And that is to bring about Clean and good governance through clean, politics. In order to revise restore and transform Meghalaya and to make Meghalaya One of top and richest states in India,” he said, positioning clean politics as the final and decisive chance for the state’s revival.
Explaining the rationale behind revisiting these historical moments, Basaiawmoit said, “You may ask me why I speak about these three missed opportunities? The reason, is that I want to tell the whole world that as Any order tribal community in India. We also have our own history culture our traditions our practices our system of land holding. And Measure to safeguard and protect our own community and our land.” He asserted that Meghalaya’s indigenous communities possess a distinct civilisational framework that deserves constitutional respect and policy sensitivity.
In a pointed conclusion aimed squarely at the Centre, the VPP chief said, “Perhaps the Government of India is not aware of this history. Which is why till today, Government of India is adopting step motherly treatment towards the state of Meghalaya.”
