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DIPHU — Advisor to Chief Executive Member (CEM) of Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) Elwin Teron has highlighted the powers, functions and limitations of the sixth schedule, amid criticisms sparked by the two-day workshop on the special provision by ‘Team Karbi Anglong’ last week.
Speaking at a press conference held at Hambi Hotel, Teron accused All Party Hills Leaders Conference (APHLC) president JI Kathar of giving a false narrative about the sixth schedule.
Providing more details, he said the biggest debate about the sixth schedule took place in 1969, when Article 244 (A) was declared for the first time. The Parliament said that all the sixth scheduled areas would be covered under Article 244(A). A choice was given to Karbi and Dimasa leaders to opt for either to continue to stay under the ambit of the sixth schedule or go for Article 244 (A).
In a meeting at Haflong on February 3, 1970, the then Assam ministers gave assurance that powers both legislative and executive based on Ashoka Mehta Recommendation would be given to hill areas for rapid development. Based on this, the Karbi and Dimasa leaders in a meeting at Diphu on February 20, 1979, agreed to stay as per Ashoka Mehta recommendation in Assam, Teron said, adding that Ashoka Mehta Recommendation is nothing but the sixth schedule itself.
The Karbis and Dimasas thought that a sixth schedule would be sufficient for them for all round development. But the realisation of the big mistake came only in 1972. The state government has given some subjects as entrusted. There was no legislative power given to the councils. The people realised that by accepting the sixth schedule, they committed a big mistake, and from 1972, the demand for an autonomous state started. The movement is still continuing, he said.
‘The Autonomous State Demand Committee (ASDC) movement was launched in 1986, where many talented leaders and masses were involved. It has passed two generations. Kathar is witnessed to all these, then why he is voicing the need to strengthen the sixth scheduled again and criticised the autonomous state movement?’ Teron asked.
“We need to re-correct what Kathar has wrongly told the people about the sixth schedule,” he said, while claiming that Kathar was not interested in making corrections and did not participate in the seminar on the sixth schedule.