Non-tribals foray into Garo Council

 TURA, Jan 24 – Over fifty years ago autonomous district councils had been set up to safeguard the economic interests and ethnic identity of the Garo tribals in the three districts of Garo Hills but today non-tribals not only have voting rights but are also standing for election to the 30 member Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC).

As many as fourteen Muslim candidates are contesting the coming February 12 elections to the Council creating ripples among the Garos. The Garo Students’ Union (GSU) that has been spearheading the movement to ban non-tribals from voting and contesting the polls are crying foul over the recent Meghalaya Government decision to allow Muslim voters and candidates to participate in the franchise.

The highest number of non-tribal candidates, numbering seven, is from Balachanda constituency in the plain belt region of West Garo Hills. Balachanda, despite being a tribal dominated constituency has a sizeable Muslim population and is categorised as unreserved. Surprisingly, in the State Assembly elections, Balachanda falls partially between Selsella and Rajabala Assembly constituencies, both reserved seats for tribals.

A similar picture is witnessed at Shyamnagar and Zikzak constituencies where seven Muslim candidates are in contest with other tribal candidates.

More interesting is the fact that there are no Garo candidates contesting the Betasing MDC seat of the Council. Among the five candidates from that constituency four are from the Hajong tribe while another is from the Koch community. Both communities are dominant in the area.

The unabated influx of Muslims into tribal lands in the plain belt region of West Garo Hills continues to be a contentious issue between Garos and the minority community with the latter now a majority in as many as four Assembly segments.

Meanwhile, 168 candidates are in the final list for the fray to the GHADC election.

Meanwhile, West Garo Hills DC has imposed Section 144 CrPC during the campaigning for the GHADC polls.