Shillong, Mar 6: The Voice of the People Party (VPP) on Friday said that the giving away of pattas of Akhing lands in Danakgre is violation of land holding customs of the Garos.
VPP spokesperson, Airpeace W Rani, while reacting to the reports of an FIR filed against Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma and others on the matter said that instead of respecting the law and judicial proceedings the CM went ahead with the land pattas.
According to Rani, although there was no stay order on the matter, Sangma committed contempt of court since the matter is still to be adjudicated and he should have respected the judicial examination.
Rani also said that the issuing of land pattas is in contempt of the customs of the Garo people since custody resides with the Nokmas.
“The ownership of the government as claimed is very contentious,” the VPP spokesperson said. “So instead of respecting the judicial examination the Chief Minister has gone ahead with the issuance of land pattas.”
Rani also said that although the government claims the said land has been acquired by them, Rani asked when and how it was done and whether compensation has been paid.
The VPP spokesperson said that the issuing of land pattas is a political move, since the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council elections are near. The party also suspects that there may be a case of corruption in issuing the land pattas.
Rani said that the government claims that the land belongs to them, but the question is even if it belongs to them in Sixth Schedule areas there are laws in place, process of land acquisition is there, including, the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act (RFCTLARR) 2013.
“Whether all these have been fulfilled or not, we will have to see,” he said.
Recently, the Nokma of Danakgre Akhing, Enilla Ch Marak, and her daughter, Amanche Ch Marak, filed an FIR against Sangma, West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner Vibhor Aggarwal and others against what they alleged was the illegal distribution of pattas to lands under the Akhing.
In the FIR filed at the Araimile Police Station on Thursday, the complainants stated that a petition was filed before the High Court of Meghalaya against the Meghalaya government, the DC, the DC (Revenue) and others, challenging the illegal settlement of land by arbitrarily labeling localities in Danakgre Akhing as government land.
According to the FIR the matter is sub-judice and notices have already been issued to all respondents last year.
Despite the pendency of the matter, early this year a list of residents, along with plot numbers, classification of land, and rates of land pertaining to the unlawfully claimed government lands, has been circulated.
On February 11, the CM personally distributed pattas to residents in Nikwatgre locality which falls under Danakgre Akhing. According to the FIR these pattas are being forced upon residents on payment of hefty amounts when the matter is still pending in the court.
