HAC proposes 6th Schedule for hill areas
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 09 2014:
The Manipur Legislative Assembly's Hill Areas Committee (HAC) has been lobbying hard for implementation of the 6th Schedule in the hills areas of Manipur.
Notably, provisions of the 6th Schedule are somewhat similar to the autonomous hill State as demanded by UPF and KNO, the two umbrella bodies of several Kuki UG groups currently under SoO pact with the Government of India and the Government of Manipur.
A well placed source informed that the HAC held a meeting on October 15 last and resolved to send a proposal to the Government for implementation of the 6th Schedule of Indian Constitution in the hill areas of Manipur.
In line with this resolution, some HAC members sought appointment with the President of India and the Prime Minister last month in a bid to get the 6th Schedule implemented in the State.
A team of HAC Members led by Chairman Chaltonlien Amo went on a tour from November 11 to 20 .
The team included MLA Kikonbou, MLA Manga Vaiphei, Deputy Speaker Preshow Shimray, MLA Alexander Pou, MLA D Korungthang, MLA Victor Nunglung, MLA Samuel Risom and MLA GS Haopu.
As a part of the tour programme, the team made several attempts to meet and persuade President Pranab Mu-kheijee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to implement 6th Schedule in the hill areas of Manipur.
But all their efforts went in vain as they were not given any appointment.
The HAC had in the past proposed the State Government to implement 6th Schedule in the hill areas but the proposal was turned down by the Government.
The basic argument of the State Government was that implementation of 6th Schedule in the tiny State of Manipur would turn out to be sowing seeds for bifurcation of Manipur into hill areas and the valley.
Another source informed that one common demand of UPF and KNO is creation of an autonomous hill State comprising hill areas of Manipur under Article 244 (A) of the Indian Constitution.
Creation of an autonomous hill State under Article 244 (A) of the Indian Constitution is structurally similar to implementation of the 6th Schedule.
In another word, implementation of the 6th Schedule implies granting greater autonomy to the existing Autonomous District Councils.
Even as the KNO and the UPF have been demanding creation of an autonomous hill State, any process of political dialogue between the two umbrella bodies, the Government of India and the State Government is yet to be initiated.
Notably, it has been clearly laid out in the SoO ground rules that the peace process should not impinge on the territorial integrity of Manipur under any circumstances.
Perhaps the demand for creation of an autonomous hill State is the biggest hurdle to starting a process of political dialogue.
On the other hand, the Government of India's offer for 6th Schedule in order to resolve the vexed Naga insurgency issue was rejected by NSCN-IM.