Meghalaya NGO opposes the participation of non-Garos in GHADC polls

TURA:

The Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP) on Wednesday, expressed its unhappiness over the decision to allow non-Garos to contest the upcoming elections to the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC), slated to be held on April 9.

Reportedly, non-Garos from the plain belt have been given tickets from the Congress and National People's Party (NPP), to contest the upcoming elections to the GHADC.

The FKJGP maintained that the GHADC was created with the objective of self-determination of the Garo people.

“Political parties are well aware that we have always opposed the participation of non-tribals in the GHADC elections, both as candidates and voters. This is the aspiration of not only the NGOs but Garo people as well,” said the leader of the FKJGP Garo Hills unit, Pritam Arengh.

The FKJGP along with other NGOs have been pushing for a separate electoral roll to exclude all non-tribals from voting or contesting.

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Earlier, various NGOs had called for a boycott of the last election on account of the same problem leading to very low turnouts.

“We do not hold any grudge against any individual for participation in either the Assembly elections or the parliamentary elections. However, the participation of non-tribals in GHADC election, either as a candidate or as a voter, will always be a bone of contention as far as we are concerned,” Arengh said.

He added that the participation of non-tribals in the GHADC election will dilute the very purpose of Autonomous District Councils (ADCs).

“We challenge any political party to explain to us how non-tribal communities can be a part of any ADC which is a product of the Sixth Schedule to the Indian Constitution, which exclusively adheres only to the affairs of the tribal people of India,” said the NGO.

"The parties were promoting their interests by allotting tickets to non-tribals knowing fully well the NGOs would have little time to organise protests given the COVID-19 situation," Arengh alleged.

(Edited by Ladiangti Rani)

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