FROM A CORRESPONDENT
SHILLONG, May 4: The Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP) has threatened to take to the streets if the state government is uble to resolve the impasse over the nonrecognition of the role of headmen (Rangbah Shnongs) even as it said that all government activities involving headmen should be immediately put on hold.
According to Basaiawmoit, the state government should suspend all activities that involve the role of Rangbah Shnongs like issuing of caste certificates, birth certificates, procuring an EPIC and bank loans.
“We are giving the government a week’s time to resolve the crisis failing which we will announce a series of agitation,” HSPDP working president Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit said today after a meeting with the Rangbah Shnongs.
As a prelude to this the HSPDP will be holding a public rally on May 6 at Students’ Field Jaiaw.
The HSPDP leader also appealed to NGOs and political parties to join hands with the party during the rally.
The HSPDP working president also said that the meeting between the HSPDP and traditiol heads at the Khasi tiol Durbar Hall on Monday decided to force the government to give approval to the Village Administration Bill which was passed by the KHADC last year.
Basaiawmoit also said that the state government should replicate the Village Administration Bill while framing a state law on the powers of traditiol heads.
It may be noted that the state government had returned the Village Administration Bill, 2014, 0n the grounds that it lacks the ingredients of democratic aspects.
However, Basaiawmoit alleged that this is “all politics”.
“The government did not give consent to the Bill since the Executive Committee in the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council consists of opposition parties,” Basaiawmoit said.
It may be mentioned that the Executive Committee (EC) in the KHADC is led by the All Regiol Parties Alliance (ARPA) a coalition of HSPDP, UDP, KHM and independents while the state is ruled by the Congress led alliance.
He also informed that the HSPDP will be submitting a memorandum to the government on Tuesday on the decisions taken during the meeting.