Shillong, October 17 : The Meghalaya Pradesh Youth Congress (MPYC) has strongly condemned the State Government’s decision to assign Deputy Commissioner of West Garo Hills, Shri Vibhor Aggarwal, IAS, with the additional charge of Principal Secretary of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC), calling it an assault on the spirit and purpose of the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution.
In a press statement issued on Friday, MPYC President Timjim Momin said the move undermines the autonomy and constitutional safeguards meant to protect the rights, identity, and self-governance of the tribal people of Northeast India.
The MPYC said the decision effectively brings the GHADC under bureaucratic control, which contradicts the core intent of the Sixth Schedule that was enacted under the Congress Government to preserve the distinct culture, traditions, and governance of tribal communities. “By placing a serving Deputy Commissioner in charge of the GHADC, the NPP-led government is attempting to dilute the very foundation of the Sixth Schedule,” the statement read.
The Youth Congress alleged that the move exposes the failure of the current GHADC Executive Committee (EC) to uphold governance and autonomy, and called for its replacement with leadership that respects constitutional values and the rights of the people.
The MPYC reiterated that the Sixth Schedule is more than just a law — it is a lifeline of tribal self-rule and identity. Any attempt to weaken it, the organisation said, would face strong resistance from the people of Garo Hills and the Youth Congress. “We demand that the Government revoke this decision immediately and restore full autonomy to the GHADC in the true spirit of the Sixth Schedule,” said Momin.
