Shillong, July 16: Former leader of the disbanded Achik National Volunteer Council-Breakaway (ANVC-B) Bernard N Marak has challenged the Executive Committee of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) for an open debate on the alleged creation of non-tribal provisions in the Council.

In a statement issued here on Monday, Marak said, “I have asked GHADC to produce the mauzadars of the non Hill areas failing which have to cancel them else I will challenge the Executive Committee of GHADC which can be represented by its Secretary or any competent member/officer to an open debate on creation of the non tribal provisions in the GHADC.”

“This will also bring in questions on settlement of lessees to supply goods like dry fish vegetables etc to certain individuals who belong to a certain political party as these licenses are being used as a monopoly license in the markets leading to high prices of dry fish and other goods in the local markets,” he said.

Marak alleged that the GHADC has been following the non tribal schedule and provisions in Garo Hills which has badly affected the population in Garo Hills.

“These provisions evolved into a well accepted system today because nobody educated the Garos of the constitutional rights and reservations under the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution. These provisions have created a paralysis in the autonomy of the Garo Council which is presently hanging in total mess and bankruptcy,” he said.

Marak said that some of the officers in GHADC thought that the Council is beyond the purview of the Indian Constitution and the rulings of the Supreme Court and the High Court.

He alleged that in some of the Acts, provisions struck down by Courts are still practiced by the officers in GHADC.

“I am blaming the officers because members are fed with information of the system which they have been following and practicing for decades. They overlooked the Court rulings and practiced general provisions against the Hill provisions,” Marak alleged.

Stating that it is a contempt of Court and total violation of the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution, he further stated that the GHADC seek advice from the non tribal lawyers who guide them in favour of the non tribals.

GHADC is following Assam Schedule (General) to issue pattas which does not fall under its jurisdiction. The non tribal provisions have been created by adding plain mauzas to the Hill areas without any notifications and acts, he said.

He further claimed that there is no record of the creation of these non tribal provisions. Due to creation of the non tribal mauzas, non tribals can contest and even claim lands. These lands were settled by GHADC under the patronage of the political parties, who made them their vote banks.

GHADC has no authority to transfer or settle land under non hill provisions. This gross violation of the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution has made Garos minority in plain areas bordering Assam, he said.

He said, the creation of the non hill mauzas (plains) is the reason why non tribals are allowed to contest to be members of the tribal institution.

“Today my battle is against provisions created to accomodate the plain people in the hill areas by GHADC, not against the people. The people who manned GHADC in the past, especially those from a political party changed the provisions beyond Sixth Schedule and created the platform for the non tribals who today contest from general constituencies,” Marak said adding this diluted the tribal identity of the Council and sadly, some officers continue to follow these provisions without taking any precaution.

“We signed an agreement with the centre and the state to strenghten GHADC within the ambit of the Indian Constitution but some officers in the GHADC are protecting the very provisions which makes Garos victim of the non tribal system in the plain areas,” he said.

Land of the Garos are snatched away by the plain people and theres nothing GHADC can do. It is a failure of the Autonomous Tribal Institution.

He said that RTI reply by Land and Revenue department of GHADC revealed only four Hill mauzadars but GHADC has been running the show by Non Hill Mauzas which do not have mauzadars. This created a platform for non tribals to own land, settle freely and contest the Garos in the Hill district, he stated.