Leaders and residents of Mualsei village under East Jaiñtia Hills district have objected to the Sanad (appointment) issued by the Jaiñtia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) to RT Khupa Thaite and demanded fresh elections.
Stating that the Sanad has led to violent argument and bloodshed when Thaite had convened a dorbar on August 29, 2022, the leaders in a letter to the JHADC said, “If this matter is not solved at the earliest by your office, we are in deep fear the violence might happen again in the village and might even lead to death.”
The letter by Ruaia Nampui, Biate traditional chief, Lalchonga Nampui, former secretary of Mualsei, Thlamuana Darnei, Secretary of the Council Biate Five Clans, Thuama Ngamlai, Chor (Assistant Siarkalim), Thasunga Thiate, president Jaintia Youth Federation, Lallungama Nampui, chairman of the joint action committee of Mualsei and Immanueal Darnei, president Mualsei Students Association also warned the JHADC that the office will be held responsible for incidents that may happen in the future.
According to the leaders, Thaite is a “self-proclaimed” waheh shnong of Mualsei village. “He along with few people are fulfilling their personal interest at the cost of disrespecting the age old and revered traditions of the Biate by holding the village dorbar on a Sunday, which the village has never hold such meetings traditionally,” they said.
They also stated that Thaite had misused the permission granted by the Deputy Commissioner on March 6, 2021 by not holding a meeting to elect a waheh shnong.
Quoting section 23 (2) of the JHADC Act, 2015 the villagers also said that the Sirdar of Saipung never paid any visit or conducted the election but a Sanad was issued to Thaite in utter disregard to the customary traditions, law of the council and goodwill of the people.
