Home Minister Lahkmen Rymbui has come under sharp attack for stating that the Centre does not recognise the Instrument of Accession and Annexed Agreement signed between Khasi states and the Union of India in 1947.
In a statement issued today, the HNYF said the statement made by the minister without examining the clauses of Instrument of Accession and Annexed Agreement was unjustified. It also said that Rymbui could not establish with facts that the Government of India has rejected the two documents.
“The statement made by Rymbui showed that he has no knowledge that the Government of India is still respecting the clauses of Instrument of Accession and Annexed Agreement. Even the National Commission for Schedule Tribes (NCST) on April 26, 2012 has upheld the Instrument of Accession and Annexed Agreement of Khasi States. NCST chairman has also followed this up with the Union Home Minister,” HNYF president Sadon K. Blah said.
The HNYF also lauded Congress MLA Ampareen Lyngdoh for raising the issue of Instrument of Accession in the Assembly. “Unfortunately, the MDA government refused to have a debate on this issue in the House just because it was raised by the opposition,” Blah said.
“We want to know the stand of regional parties on Instrument of Accession and Annexed Agreement since it was important to go back to history,” the HNYF added.
It also said that talk on legal mechanisms to safeguards tribal interest in Meghalaya would be futile unless the contents of the Instrument of Accession and Annexed Agreement were honoured and implemented.
“We have not politically merged with the Indian Union but the Government of India in violation of Instrument of Accession and Annexed Agreement has interfered with our minerals, forests etc. Even we have to beg the Centre for Inner Line Permit. The boundary issue remained unresolved as the three-party agreement between the erstwhile Assam provincial government, Indian government and Khasi States has been trampled,” HNYF said adding that Instrument of Accession and Annexed Agreement should first be implemented before any attempt to resolve the boundary issue.
