After days of agitation against the new Chief Executive Member of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC), Rakesh Sangma, a meeting has been called for Monday to try and settle the issue.
The replacement of Benedic Marak with Rakesh, following a confidence vote in the council, has led to intense protests against the latter by pressure groups. They are angry with the ascension of Rakesh because, they claim, that he and his family do not follow Garo customs and traditions as they are more influenced by Rakesh’s father’s Nepali roots. This has been denied by the new CEM’s family.
In a letter to several pressure groups today, the West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner informed that they have been invited to a meeting with GHADC MDCs, which will be attended by Conrad and other MLAs, at 5pm at the Tura Circuit House to “discuss the prevailing situation”.
Before becoming CEM, Rakesh was the GHADC Chairman (equivalent of Speaker). This did not cause problems for the pressure groups but him being CEM, a post that carries judicial powers, does because, they say, it is intolerable for a person who does not follow Garo customs to be in charge of dispensing justice in cases regarding the customs of the Garos.
Several different forms of protest have been launched, including two days of ‘non-cooperation’, a ‘pen down’ strike within the council, a night road blockade and days of picketing the GHADC offices.
All this while, the Chief Minister’s message was the same, namely that Rakesh had been duly elected according to the norms of the council. Even if Rakesh did not have any Garo blood, there would have been no bar on him being CEM; non-tribals are free to vote and stand for election in the GHADC, which is a sore point for many pressure groups.
