Shillong, Oct 4: The All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) has called out on Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma’s assurance to the people that the government would never interfere in matters of land, customs, and traditional powers—the exclusive domain of the district councils.
“But where was he when, on 26th September 2024, the Deputy Commissioner of West Garo Hills issued an order to conduct a land survey in the B-Mahal area? Was it not under his notice, or was it carried out under his government’s instructions?” the AITC leader Fernandez Dkhar stated in a social media post.
According to Dkhar, this overreach tramples upon the constitutional rights of the autonomous district councils under the Sixth Schedule.
He said that by tying financial control to conditional reforms and encroaching into land matters, the government is systematically weakening the District Councils, making them dependent and powerless.
“Our ADCs deserve protection and genuine empowerment, not the gradual erosion of their authority,” Dkhar said.
He also alleged that the crisis in Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) is a governance failure of the highest order.
Dkhar said that the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance government wilfully ignored its constitutional duty under Article 275 and failed to implement the State Finance Commission Act.
According to the AITC leader, instead of providing the autonomous district councils with a systematic, legal share of revenue, they offer only conditional political advances.
He pointed out that time and again, the Leader of Opposition Dr. Mukul Sangma has urged the state government to “weaponise” its powers by releasing advance funds to the GHADC for staff salaries, thereby pressuring the Centre to expedite the Constitution (125th Amendment) Bill, 2019 to amend the Sixth Schedule.
According to Dkhar, when the leader of opposition had moved a resolution to amend Article 280 for financial support to district councils and rightly said that the state must act to highlight the crisis and cannot remain a silent spectator when the responsibility lies with the Centre as well.
The AITC leader also said that appointing an IAS officer—or even the Deputy Commissioner—as Principal Secretary of the District Councils is a blatant attempt to control what was meant to be self-governed.
“The councils were created to safeguard tribal autonomy, not to be reduced to mere extensions of the state machinery. Such moves undermine self-rule, erode authority, and betray the very spirit of the Constitution,” Dkhar added.
According to him as Khasis, Jaintias, and Garos, one must strengthen the autonomous district councils rather than weaken or dilute their autonomous powers.
He said that many tribal communities across India are still struggling to gain this very constitutional protection.
“Look at Ladakh, where people are demanding inclusion under the Sixth Schedule. We, the indigenous people of Meghalaya, should feel blessed to already have this safeguard—and we must protect it with vigilance,” Dkhar stated.
