VPP to push Centre for implementation of Article 371 in Meghalaya: Ardent

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaFebruary 6, 2025

Voice of the People Party (VPP) chief Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit on Thursday said his party will push the demand for implementation of Article 371 from the government of India.

Addressing an election campaign at Umsning, Ri Bhoi district, Basaiawmoit strongly reacted to the statement made by cabinet minister and United Democratic Party (UDP) leader Paul Lyngdoh that Article 371 is missing from the VPP’s manifesto for the forthcoming elections to the autonomous district councils (ADCs) in the Khasi-Jaintia region.

“One of the cabinet ministers, who used to be very vocal about Article 371, after being criticized from several quarters, has alleged that the VPP has not included Article 371 in its manifesto for the ADC polls. I am surprised that a cabinet minister doesn’t know what Article 371 is and that we have to demand Article 371 from the government of India and not from this ADC election. How long can you mislead people?” he said.

Basaiawmoit reiterated that Article 371 is very important for protecting the state of Meghalaya from the central laws, which interferes with the cultures and way of life of the indigenous people.

He claimed that the people never realised that hunting which they called in Khasi as “leit sikar” and is part of their culture, is lost with the implementation of the Protection of Wildlife Act of the government of India.

“Now if a snake comes to your home, you cannot kill it but you have to hand it over to the authorities concerned.”

Basaiawmoit also stated, “Why there is ban on mining of major and minor minerals, this is because of the implementation of the central laws but these same central laws which are applicable in Meghalaya are not applicable to states like Nagaland and Mizoram because they are protected under the Article 371.”

“Therefore, you need to understand that the district council legislates laws as empowered by the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. When Meghalaya got its statehood, they also inserted para 12 (A) in the Sixth Schedule to ensure there does not exist two powers in the state. The Constitution of India clearly states that if there are clash laws passed by the district council cannot supersede the laws passed by the state government. Similarly, laws passed by the state government cannot supersede the laws passed by the central government. Therefore, there is danger for the state of Meghalaya,” he claimed.

He also warned that a time will come when the BJP, which is leading the government at the centre, will seek to achieve one nation, one religion, one culture and said they can come up with a uniform land law which may allow non-tribal to buy lands in Meghalaya.

“Meghalaya of Land Transfer (Regulation) Act, 1972 has been protecting our land in which people from outside cannot buy land in the state but now the government is attempting to weaken this law.

A time will come that the Centre government led by the BJP, which is seeking to achieve one nation, one religion, one culture – can take steps which will endanger us as a tribal state. If the Centre brings a uniform land law, our land law will die and non-tribal people can buy land. But we have Article 371 as it states no acts of parliament can apply in respect of social religious practices of the Nagas, administration of criminal and civil justice according to the customary laws of the Nagas,” he stated.