Cachar Khasis move Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma for parleys with Assam CM

A CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG: The Cachar-based 'Khasi-Jaintia Development Council Demand Committee' (KJCDC) of Assam, on Wednesday, met Meghalaya Chief Minister, Conrad K. Sangma to seek his help for the longstanding pending demand for creation of 'Khasi-Jaintia Development Council' in Assam.

In a memorandum submitted to the Chief Minister Sangma, the KJCDC pointed out that the previous Congress Government had initiated steps for creation of the Council in Assam and the matter was also placed at the Assam State-level Cabinet Sub-Committee meeting held on January 7, 2015.

In a letter submitted to Sangma, the Cachar-based organization urged him to initiate measures with Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal to consider the demand.

On December 15, 2014, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs had directed the then Commissioner & Secretary Department of Welfare Plain Tribes and Backward Classes (WPT&BC), Government of Assam, to take appropriate action for creation of the Council, the organization added.

But the then State government turned deaf ears to our longstanding legitimate demands to address and promote our socio-economic, education, ethnic and cultural grievances by providing us the maximum participation in advancement within the framework of the Constitution of India, said the KJCDC, adding that "this is despite the fact that we are having all the historical primitive trades' characteristic and traditional customary practices that existed since the 18th century to date. "Our tribe/community is still being neglected and deprived; for which our existence is very deplorable, pitiable and at sub-standard conditions, lagging behind from many basic amenities of livelihood, where developmental schemes and cultural upliftment hardly or rarely is being benefited by our tribe/community," the KJCDC said in the memorandum submitted to Chief Minister Sangma. The KJCDC delegation was led by its president Sebastian Pakyntein.

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