Marriages between Khasi women and non-Khasi men are leading to a host of problems, including making the consumption of beef a troubling subject, the Chairman of Ka Sur U Paidbah Ka Bri U Hynniewtrep, Rastinwell Thabah, said today.
Thabah termed mixed marriages a vector for the “silent invasion” of non-Khasis into the state and claimed to have carried out research in Ichamati, a hotspot of tension this past year between Khasis and non-Khasis.
“In Ichamati alone around 30 per cent of the population comprises mixed marriages, which is nothing but a silent invasion of the non-Khasi in our state,” Thabah said, adding that the buying and selling of beef in the Ichamati area has started to become a problem, which implies that the Hindu population in the area is increasing.
“When I spoke about this matter with the Sirdar of Hima Mawlong he told me that they are also seeing this issue as a hardship,” Thabah said.
He informed that the group will soon meet the Sirdar to discuss the issue even as he stressed the need of the Hima Mawlong to have strong laws to eradicate the problem of Benami.
Stating that there are so many Himas that still lack strong rules to protect the indigenous tribes of the state, he urged the district councils to look into all these matters and complete the codification of all the Himas within a year.
“We also want the Meghalaya Transfer of Land (Regulation) Act 1971 to be translated into the Khasi language so that the various traditional chiefs know about this law,” he said.
