Ten Kuki-Zo legislators have submitted a memorandum to the Governor of Manipur, Lakshman Prasad Acharya, demanding the withdrawal of the ‘unconstitutional’ recommendations made during a recent Hill Area Committee (HAC) meeting regarding the Autonomous District Council (ADC), Manipur.
These legislators, who have been advocating for a ‘separate administration,’ submitted the memorandum on October 23. The Kuki-Zo legislators, who are also members of the HAC, highlighted their concerns regarding the resolution passed during the HAC meeting related to the ADC.
The resolution states, “In order to run the administration of ADCs, a Committee consisting of a total of 20 members for each ADC shall be constituted, of whom 18 members shall be selected from amongst the former ADC members/experts in Local Self-Government/eminent persons/intellectuals, and two (2) government nominees of the district as a temporary arrangement until the ADC election is conducted.”
The legislators expressed that they felt the resolution was “unconstitutional, a mockery of democratic principles, unlawful, unprecedented, arbitrary, divisive, and biased.” They further noted that the resolution was passed while half of the HAC members from a particular community were unable to attend the HAC meeting or State Assembly sessions due to the state’s law and order situation since May 3, 2023.
They argued that the resolution not only violates the democratic ethos behind local elected bodies but also goes against established norms and exceeds the scope of the ADC Act(s) amended to date.
“This atmosphere of political erraticism and bias justifies our demand for a Union Territory with a legislature, which we reiterate with growing conviction. We urge you to support our political demand, which reflects the strong political aspirations of our people and is the only viable path to peaceful co-existence,” the memorandum stated.
The legislators called for prompt intervention to ensure that the Constitution of India and the ADC Act are respected and upheld in the public interest.
Recently, during a press conference in Imphal, the working president of the MPCC, Victor Keishing, accused the BJP government in the state of being ‘anti-tribal’ and ‘anti-hill’ for failing to hold ADC elections for the past four years. Former MLA Samuel Jendai, a new member of the MPCC, also urged the state government to withdraw the recommendation, emphasizing the importance of grassroots democracy.
Additionally, a Naga body has expressed opposition to the undemocratic approach and decisions taken by the HAC.
In a statement issued by Rongmei Naga Council, Manipur (RNCM) on Friday, it said that the recent Manipur cabinet decision, taken by the Manipur State Assembly announcing the reconstitution of ADC, without election is a gross violation of the principle of democracy, systematically designed to appropriate the fund allocation for the Hill districts of Manipur.
“…the Naga body will not remain a mere spectator to such politics manipulated by some individuals/groups with vested interest… The Rongmei tribe, as legitimate citizen of the state condemned the declaration issued through the office of the HAC, and appealed all concerned to reconsider the matter or face the consequences of such madness”, it stated.
