Meghalaya: BJP leader accuses state government of stalling tribal autonomy deal

Bernard N Marak, a BJP MDC from Tura, has confronted former Home Minister Rajnath Singh in Delhi over delays in implementing the 2014 Agreed Text for Settlement (ATS), a crucial agreement aimed at strengthening tribal autonomy in Meghalaya.

Marak launched an attack on both Congress and NPP leadership, accusing them of undermining the agreement while simultaneously benefiting from central funds. "The Congress government delayed the settlement process for more than 10 years, while BJP completed it within 6 months of coming to power," Marak stated on Sunday.

The BJP leader highlighted a decade of inaction since the ATS signing in 2014, pointing out that 13 key departments have not been transferred to the Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) as promised. "Not even a single meeting has been held in the last 5 years," he revealed, adding that state departments have allegedly hijacked funds meant for ADCs.

According to Marak, the ruling party's contractors have mismanaged special package funds, leaving numerous projects incomplete and making it impossible for ADCs to provide utilisation certificates. He announced plans to present detailed evidence of incomplete projects and fund misuse to central leadership.

The BJP MDC emphasised his party's commitment to tribal autonomy through the pending 125th amendment to the Sixth Schedule. "BJP wants to empower Traditional Institutions, Traditional systems, Local Self Governance, and ensure direct funding from the Centre," Marak declared, contrasting this with what he termed as "anti-tribal" policies of Congress and NPP.

Marak promised to raise these issues with central leaders, particularly focusing on what he described as systematic undermining of tribal autonomy measures by successive state governments.