Tangkhul Naga frontal organizations condemn HAC’s decision on Autonomous District Councils

The Tangkhul frontal organisations have vehemently condemned the Hill Areas Committee (HAC) for its recent decision to reconstitute the Autonomous District Councils in Manipur’s hill areas through selection rather than election. This condemnation was expressed during a press conference held on Wednesday at the Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL) President’s chamber, attended by representatives from several Tangkhul organizations, including TNL, Tangkhul Katamnao Saklong (TKS), Tangkhul Shanao Long (TSL), and Tangkhul Mayar Ngala Long (TMNL).

The HAC’s resolution to form the Autonomous District Council through selection, established as a temporary measure until an election is conducted, was met with sharp criticism. According to Ukhrul Times, the organisations are calling for the resignation of the HAC Chairman and all elected representatives involved in the resolution passed on October 14.

“This decision is an insult to the people of the Hills. The Chairman of the Hill Areas Committee must go. We will not accept or honor him. The three Tangkhul MLAs must clarify their positions to the public, or else the same fate awaits them,” the President of Tangkhul Naga Long was quoted by UT.

Sword Vashum, President of TNL, characterized the HAC’s recent decision as “unconstitutional and undemocratic,” asserting that it undermines the functioning of the District Council in Ukhrul. He stated, “The reconstituted District Council is absolutely unacceptable; we will outright reject it. This decision is inherently unconstitutional, undemocratic, and arbitrary. This is not how people’s democratic institutions should function.”

Vashum further questioned who would take responsibility for the decision, emphasizing that the Chairman of the HAC must be held accountable. He stated, “If the Caretaker Chairmanship doesn’t have a place in the Constitution or the law, how does this reconstitution of the ADC fit within the realms of the Constitution or the law? We object to this, and we will not allow this reconstituted ADC to function in the Hill Areas, particularly in Ukhrul District.”

He also raised concerns about the selection process for the reconstituted ADC, asking, “How do they handpick the members? What criteria will they follow to pick and choose among the members? This is highly questionable.”

Vashum stated with a strong message to the Tangkhul MLAs, urging them to take a definitive stance: “Are we a flock of sheep just to be driven around? Enough is enough. The three Tangkhul MLAs must make their stance clear or go away.”

The HAC’s October 14 resolution aims to establish a 20-member council, with 18 members selected from former ADC members, local government experts, eminent persons, or intellectuals, alongside two government nominees, as a temporary arrangement until the ADC election is held.

MT