The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) has demanded that the Assam Government transfer Block I and II back to Meghalaya. Addressing the Dorbar (Assembly) of Hima Mylliem (Mylliem State) at Polo Ground here on Friday, KHADC Chief Executive Member (CEM), Hispreaching Son Shylla said that these areas were under the then United Khasi and Jaiñtia Hills District before the creation of Meghalaya.
“We also urge the Meghalaya Government to take up the issue and at the same time seek the Centre’s intervention,” Shylla said. According to Shylla, Block I & II are not disputed areas but they were only excluded from the then United Khasi and Jaiñtia Hills District and tagged with Assam’s then Mikir Hills Autonomous District in 1951.
Shylla said that the exclusion of the areas was done just after the erstwhile 25 Khasi States were included under the Indian territory on January 26, 1950. The KHADC chief informed that even the Supreme Court had stated that there was no merger as such of the 25 Khasi States.
“In the First Schedule, when the territory of Assam was defined, the Khasi States were also included through the Constitution. But after one year of the inclusion under the Indian Territory through the Constitution, Block I and II were excluded from the then United Khasi and Jaiñtia Hills District through Paragraph 1 sub para 3 and clause ‘e’ which says that the Governor may diminish the area of the autonomous district,” Shylla narrated.
He alleged that the inclusion of Block I and II under the Mikir Hills Autonomous District was done without getting any approval, adding, “This is the stigma that we are facing, how we lost these areas to Assam.” Shylla said that fight has to continue to ensure that the areas are transferred back from Assam since most of the inhabitants of Block I and II are the indigenous Khasi Pnar people. The KHADC chief said that the Council would consult legal experts since the inclusion of the areas was the outcome of the Assam Government “abusing its powers”.