Shillong, Mar 9: The A·chik State Peoples’ Front (ASPF) has expressed concern over the delay in processing rules notified by the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) and said that the state government must carry out the constitutional duty with seriousness, diligence, and respect for the spirit of tribal autonomy.
ASPF said the people of Garo Hills are concerned and disillusioned by the ongoing delays in processing the rules.
Highlighting that the autonomous district council established under the sixth schedule of the Constitution of India are crucial for tribal self-governance, aimed at protecting indigenous institutions and customary laws, ASPF general secretary Bernita Marak said procedural sequence has been overlooked when lawfully notified rules forwarded to the state government for examination have never been sent to the Governor for assent.
“Yet, what the people of Garo Hills are witnessing today is a classic case of “kicking the can down the road.” Files appear to be gathering dust while the legitimate aspirations of the people remain stuck in bureaucratic limbo. Such inaction sends a troubling message that the constitutional rights of the people can be treated as an afterthought rather than a priority,” she said.
Bernita said the leadership position of Chief Minister Conrad Kongkal Sangma, “a son of the soil”, had raised the hope that the concerns of the Garo people would be prioritised. However, she said, unfortunately, the current situation raises questions about whether political convenience is taking precedence over the rights of the community.
The ASPF said the people of Garo Hills deserve better than empty gestures and unfulfilled promises and demanded the government to act swiftly and forward the duly notified rules to ensure their constitutional rights are upheld.
“Constitutional processes cannot be treated as optional, nor can the autonomy of tribal institutions be compromised for the sake of political calculations,” the organisation added.
