Shillong, Apr 3: The All A’Chik Youth Federation has petitioned Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma to rename Meghalaya to “Khasi-Jaintia-Garo Land” under Article 3(e) of the Constitution of India.
The organisation argues the current name, meaning “Abode of the Clouds” in Sanskrit, doesn’t represent the state’s principal tribes – Khasi, Garo, and Jaintia.
The demand stems from the state’s unique history: Meghalaya became a state on January 21, 1972, driven by concerns over Assam’s language policy threatening hill tribes’ distinct identities.
The federation suggests alternatives like “Tribal Land” or “Tribal State,” urging Sangma to table a motion in the State Legislative Assembly’s forthcoming session.
