Mizoram-Based Autonomous District Councils Condemn State's Approach To '125th Constitution Amendment Bill 2021'

Mizoram-Based Autonomous District Councils Condemn State’s Approach To ‘125th Constitution Amendment Bill 2021’

6th December 2021

Ezrela Dalidia Fanai, NET Correspondent, Mizoram

The political parties of Lai Autonomous District Council (LADC), Mara Autonomous District Council (MADC) and Chakma Autonomous District Council (CADC) today torched the copies of Mizoram Government’s comments on 125th Constitution Amendment Bill 2021 (Sixth Schedule Amendment) submitted to Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India.

Simultaneous peaceful protests were held today in all the 3 Autonomous District Councils at their respective Headquarters, namely Kamalanagar (CADC), Lawngtlai (LADC) and Siaha (MADC).

The agitators staged the protest with slogans and placards which displayed strong messages like “Government of Mizoram Shame, Shame”, “Zoramthanga Hosh Mein Aao”, “We demand more powers to 3 ADCs of Mizoram and We Demand Article 280”.

In a Press Statement jointly issued by the three Autonomous District Councils, the unions have put forward their demands, incorporating of –

* Amendment of Article 275 (1) and Article 280 for separate allocation of fund for the three Autonomous District Councils of Mizoram.

* Additional Power/creation of Paragraph 3C by giving more subjects to the three Autonomous District Councils.

* Amendment of Paragraph 20 for change of nomenclatures of the three Autonomous District Councils (that is, Autonomous District Councils into Autonomous Territorial Councils).

* Upholding the Governor’s discretionary powers under Paragraph 20BB etc.

Its worthy to note that, there are 10 Autonomous District Councils across the Northeast States of Assam, Mizoram, Meghalaya and Tripura created under Sixth Schedule to the Constitution of India.

In Mizoram, the three Autonomous District Councils have been demanding enhancement of more powers for the last 30 years through peaceful means.

Meanwhile, the three Autonomous District Councils will be celebrating their 50th Anniversary in 2022.

After Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power at the centre, the Cabinet approved Amendment of Sixth Schedule to the Constitution of India and introduced 125th Constitution Amendment Bill 2019 in the Parliament.

The Home Ministry asked the 4 States for its comments regarding the proposed Constitution Amendment.

The joint statement highlighted that states like Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura have given its comments very positively to uplift the Tribal Minorities in their respective States, whereas the Mizoram Government led by Mizo National Front (MNF) Party opposed upliftment of the Tribal Minorities in Mizoram.

In a statement, the President of Mizoram Pradesh BJP Vanlalhmuaka said, “Whenever, MNF comes to power in Mizoram, the three Autonomous District Councils suffered the most and funds have been always delayed and the budget remains the same size without any increment. Lai ADC and Chakma ADC are currently ruled by MNF, whereas the Mara ADC is ruled by BJP, which have been threatened by the State MNF government by sending Anti Corruption Bureau to the Council on the pretext of corruption charges and does not want to release funds meant for Mara Autonomous District Council.”

He also added that during the Congress rule in Mizoram, the Autonomous Councils in Mizoram used to get their due share in the order of precedence like the rest of other States in Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura.

“After MNF came to power in 2018, the elected Members and Chief Executive Members of the respective Councils were removed from Order of precedence table in the State,” – asserted Vanlahmuaka.