The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) has passed a resolution to urge the Central government, Meghalaya and Assam governments as well as the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) to re-transfer Block-I and II areas to Meghalaya.
The resolution was passed unanimously on the first day of the three-day Winter Session of the Council on Tuesday.
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“Now this House do unanimously resolve to urge the Government of India, Government of Meghalaya, the Government of Assam and the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) to right this historical and legal wrong committed against the Khasi-Jaiñtia tribe and return Block I and II to Meghalaya as it is right under law and the Constitution of India,” said KHADC chief executive member, H S Shylla who read the resolution which was tabled in the House.
Stating that historico-legal position supports the return of areas known as Block I and Block II to the state of Meghalaya and to the Khasi Hills District Council and Jaiñtia Hills District Council, Shylla said, “injustice committed against the Khasi-Jaiñtia people has to be rectified, and the KHADC recognized this injustice and the imperative need to rectify this gross illegality.”
He also recalled that the KHADC was part of the erstwhile United Khasi-Jaiñtia District Council, which was formed as part of the then province of Assam within the Dominion of India by the process of framing and creation of the Constitution of India, and not by any “Instrument of Merger.”
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It was alleged that areas known as Block I & II of the Khasi and Jaiñtia Hills District were forcibly excluded and tagged with the then Mikir Hills Autonomous District Council by two notifications issued on April 13, 1951.
“This was totally illegal and arbitrary exercise of powers under Para 1 of the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution of India. It is categorically put on record that by this act, the provisions of the Sixth Schedule were misused to forcibly deprive us of a substantial area of our land,” Shylla pointed out.