Shillong, May 2: The Hynñiewtrep Youth Council (HYC) on Wednesday followed up with the office of East Khasi Hills deputy commissioner in connection with the demand for cancellation of Scheduled Tribe certificates issued to two persons.

These two persons have surrendered their ST certificates before the Deputy Commissioner of East Khasi Hills District on April 17 last year after they have been declared as non-Khasis by the Registration Authority of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) a year ago.

Varun S Lyngdoh and Sheena S Lyngdoh, the children of Shyam Singhania and Pearl S Lyngdoh of Rock Cliff, Cleve Colony, Dhanketi Shillong, have surrendered their ST certificates and screening committee is in the process of cancelling the same.

As a follow up, a delegation of HYC met the Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) I. Majaw, who is heading the screening committee.

HYC general secretary Robertjune Kharjahrin said the delegation was informed that the process is already on for cancelling the ST certificates issued to the two persons since 2007.

An order of the KHADC’s Registration Authority stated that Varun and Sheena have failed to fulfill the requirement as per provisions of KHAD (Khasi Social Custom of Lineage) Act, 1997.

This action came after a petition was filed by Kharjahrin on January 21, 2016.

The order also pointed out that in the instant case, both the respondents could not produce a certificate from the traditional village headman or Rangbah Shnong as required, and more importantly a certificate from the Rangbah Kur or Head of the Lyngdoh Clan that they belong to the Lyngdoh Clan.

Kharjahrin said based on the complaint lodged with the DC, the screening committee had on April 11 summoned Pearl S Lyngdoh, the mother of Varun and Sheena, to seek clarification on her ST status.

“Since she (Pearl) could not appear before the screening committee, she was again asked to appear on May 30. She has to clarify whether she had taken her father’s title (late RV Lyngdoh) or whether she has the approval of the Lyngdoh clan,” he said while quoting the ADC.

He also urged the Lyngdoh clan to come forward and protest against such attempt to misuse the indigenous clan.

The HYC leader also demanded from the Deputy Commissioner to also initiate suo motu inquiry on the ST certificates of offsprings from mixed marriages to curb people from other communities from using tribal Clan to get various benefits as Scheduled Tribes (STs).

As per Khasi custom the non-Khasi wife of a Khasi husband cannot adopt the surname of the Khasi husband, the Registration Authority had said adding that the offspring of the Khasi father and a non-Khasi mother shall have to adopt a new Jait or Clan by prefixing “Dkhar” or “Khar” to the new Jait or Clan by way of a “Tangjait” ceremony.

Further, Kharjahrin said that the Council will also soon demand the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council to come with its own Social Custom of Lineage Act to safeguard the rights of tribal people under its jurisdiction.

According to him, misuse of tribal clan is more rampant in Garo Hills and urged social organizations of in Garo Hills to also take up this issue seriously.