Shillong, May 20: The Khun Hynñiewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) has asked the state government to take up the matter related to the inclusion of other tribes in the Constitution (Schedule Tribe) Order 1950 seriously and not to wait for agitations.

“We urge the chief minister Conrad K Sangma to take up the matter seriously instead of provoking us to take it to the street,” KHNAM state youth wing president Thomas Passah told reporters on Monday.

He said the party extended full support to the Synjuk Ki Nongsynshar Shnong Ka Nongthymmai Pyllun for demanding from the government to amend the Constitution (Schedule Tribe) Order 1950 to ensure deletion of other tribes from the list.

Quoting a circular issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to all states and union territories on May 2, 1975, Passah said, “It (circular) has clearly stated that a person migrates from one state to another, he can claim to belong to SC or ST only in relation to the state to which he originally belonged, and not in respect of the state to which he has migrated.”

The KHNAM youth wing leader however lamented that it is only the state of Meghalaya which is yet to comply with this circular issued by the Central government.

“Therefore, we have decided to also submit this circular to all the 60 MLAs of the state and see whether they are really concerned for future of the people,” he said.

According to him, the failure of the state government to rectify this serious anomaly has led to paving way for other tribes to enjoy privileges of the genuine indigenous tribes of the state.

“This has also led to land alienation as the people from other tribes recognised in the list of ST in the state can buy land, besides they do not have to apply for trading license for carrying out businesses in the state,” he said.

Meanwhile, Passah said that the autonomous district councils should also play an important role in pressurizing the government to amend this Order otherwise their objective of protecting the three indigenous tribes of the state will be defeated.