New Delhi: The Meghalaya Indigenous Minority Tribals Forum (MIMTF) of Garo Hills on Saturday demanded the creation of two regional councils within the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) and the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
These councils, they argue, would empower the Hajong, Koch, Rabha, Boro, Kachari, and Mann tribes and help them fulfill their aspirations.
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The MIMTF has long advocated for these regional councils, believing that they would enable direct funding from the Centre under Article 280 of the Constitution.
The forum recently submitted a memorandum to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, through former Rajya Sabha member Rakesh Sinha, outlining their demands.
In addition to regional councils, the MIMTF also called for satellite councils to cater to the minority tribal communities dispersed across the state.
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They allege that these groups are often marginalized and deprived of government schemes, which are primarily directed towards the three major tribal groups: Khasis, Garos, and Jaintias.
“Regional councils will facilitate the upliftment and all-round development of our communities in education, economy, social welfare, and politics. They will also protect our social, political, and constitutional rights,” said KC Boro, former minister and forum spokesperson.
“We believe that direct funding from the Centre will help us bridge the development gap with the more advanced Khasis, Jaintias, and Garos,” he said.
The MIMTF expressed serious concerns about the demographic changes in the Indo-Bangladesh border areas of Meghalaya, similar to the situation in Assam.
They warned that these changes have led to significant law and order issues for the indigenous tribal communities.
The memorandum, signed by forum convener Anubhav Hajong, underscores the urgent need for policy interventions to safeguard the rights and interests of minority tribes in Meghalaya.