Shillong, Sept 1: As part of its endeavour to “revisit the roots”, the state government has decided to move the Centre seeking amendment to the Presidential Order of 1950 and review the list of Scheduled Tribes in Meghalaya.
He mentioned that Meghalaya to be called a “tribal state”, it has to be based on the Presidential Notification of 1950.
The state government has already constituted a committee headed by Deputy Chief Minister and National People’s Party (NPP) state president Prestone Tynsong to revisit and review the list of tribes and sub-tribes in Meghalaya.
The committee will also “examine who are genuine (tribal) and who are not,” Tynsong said while addressing a programme on NPP’s foundation day and also the birth anniversary of its founder Purno Agitok Sangma.
Terming it a major move by the government to “revisit the roots” of the state, Tynsong called for reservation benefits for Meghalaya’s indigenous tribes in other states.
He recalled that many Khasi and Pnar people were affected during communal clashes in Mizoram in 2003 when DD Lapang was Chief Minister and he had won his first election.
“I felt pained and hurt. They are tribals like us,” he said.
“In Meghalaya, we respect and recognise Mizo tribals and share the same tribal benefits with them from the same plate. At that time I met a Mizoram minister and asked him – if your people in Meghalaya can share the same plate, why can’t our people share the same plate there?” Tynsong said.
Appealing for support, Tynsong said the party would pursue the issue legally and constitutionally.
“If needed, the entire government will meet the Prime Minister and the President to amend the 1950 notification. This is about bringing change so that our Garo, Khasi and Jaintia people become stronger,” he said.
Tynsong said no government in the past 76 years had dared to take up the issue.
“For 76 years no one has taken the lead on this, but this time we will take up this huge task. It is in the spirit of the Sixth Schedule,” he said, while also appreciating steps taken by the district council and the state government for tribals in Garo Hills.
He also urged party workers to work hard for the upcoming Shillong parliamentary election, saying, “Let us give a respectable victory to Dr DRL Nonglait. When there are issues that the state cannot solve, we have to go to Delhi. If we have our own MP who understands us, it will benefit our community, the Shillong parliamentary constituency and the whole state.”
