The National People’s Party (NPP) candidate for the Mawryngkneng by-election, Pyniaid Sing Syiem has accused the Congress of trying to dilute the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
“There will be a constitutional amendment to the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution in the Parliament and the Congress had suggested that five non-tribals should be appointed as Members of District Council,” Syiem said during an election rally at Sohryngkham Neng today.
Syiem claimed that in 2019 he had to go to Delhi to meet the Parliamentary Standing Committee and during a meeting, Chairman of the Committee, Anand Sharma who is from the Congress told that he had received reports and proposals from the States where Autonomous District Councils exists that the previous government led by the Congress had proposed that non tribals should be given representation.
The NPP candidate who is also the Chairman of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council stated that now that the Congress is in opposition it is blaming the former for bad governance.
Countering the allegations of the opposition Congress with regards to the incident in Mawlai wherein former HNLC chairman was killed during a police raid, Syiem said that in 2014 during the Congress led government police had fired on protesters in Mookhep, East Jaiñtia Hills district, who were agitating against ban on coal mining. He also reminded the gathering of the MBoSE incident where protesters were shot by police in Garo Hills.
“We are not accusing anyone but we are clarifying the allegations made by the Congress against our government,” Syiem stated.
Apart from Syiem others in the fray for the Mawryngkneng bye-election are Highlander Kharmalki of the Congress, and three independents, Esron Marwein, Norbert Marboh and Arbiangkam Kharsohmat.
