PMRM opposes proposed ADC Bill 2021
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 20 2021: The People's Movement for Resurgent Manipur (PMRM) has expressed strong objec-tion against the proposed Manipur (Hill Areas) Auto-nomous District Councils Bill 2021 .

A statement issued by the PMRM pointed out that in the proposed ADC Bill 2021, there is a proposal for making HAC the centripetal power for Hill Areas of Manipur, totally divorced from the Manipur State Legislative Assembly.

At the same time, it is ambivalent regarding the nature of the HAC.

The proposed draft Bill needs to be clear, whether HAC is a local body or a parallel Government.

If it is a local body, the demand for a Chief Secretary is unjustified.

Secondly, if it envisions HAC as a parallel body or a separate administrative machinery, it implies that there is the need for a Presidential order to make it happen, in other words, amend the 1972 order, the PMRM asserted.

The proposal contradicts the purpose of HAC.

It does not relate to "general questions of policy and legislation" .

Again, the proposal for Hill Secretariat amounts to obliteration of the Department of Tribal Affairs & Hills.

It needs another amendment either in the Rules of Business or structure of administration of Manipur, it remarked.

Also, the proposal for bringing Hill House Tax under the purview of ADCs needs amendment of the Manipur Hill Areas (House Tax) Act, second amendment Act 2003.And lastly, the proposed Bill envisions a radical change in terms of functioning, for example, a parallel hill Government though it continues to use the word "local body" and more autonomy to ADC.

It raises issues of amending a host of prevailing Acts and Order, it continued.

Therefore, the State Legislative Assembly is not the competent authority at the moment to introduce the proposed Bill.

Following Article 5 of the Fourth Schedule of the 1972 order, sending the proposed Bill to the Governor would be the most sensible option.

Some politicians created this proposed Bill with the sole intention to woo voters in the hills.

Their ego to regain power led to this controversial ADC Bill.

They have even started their election campaign using this Bill, it alleged.

These leaders knew well that the Bill won't be passed in the Manipur State Legislative Assembly since adoption of the proposed ADC Bill 2021 is not within the power of Manipur State Legislative Assembly, it asserted.

It then asked the proponents of the new Bill why they are demanding the Bill to be tabled in the last hour of the Government and why they waited for five long years.

It is simply election gimmick by these selfish leaders from the hills.

They are spreading lies and propaganda and instigating hatred for the present Government among the hill brethrens, it alleged.

So far, the incumbent Government has been successful in removing the road blocks and for the first time, the common people in the hills of Manipur have experienced governance through Go to Hills 1.0 and Go to Hills 2.0.People have started to trust this Government and the gap between the valley and the hills has been narrowed down.

The argument behind the proposed ADC Bill was that the present Government has utilized funds meant for development of the hills.

However, their hollow propaganda has been busted and it was crystal clear that more than 40 per cent of the budget has been allocated in the hills alone.

Just to remain in power and get votes by misleading voters and future generation, these MLAs are misinterpreting the Hill Areas Committee Act of 1971 .

It is clearly mentioned that HAC Act is a recommending body, not an executive body.

Like every Act, this Act is a standing committee of Manipur State Assembly.

HAC Members have been hiding that this very Act is similar to any Public Account Committee (PAC) in the State Assembly or both Houses of the Parliament.

The HAC was given Constitutional protection and nothing more than a mere PAC in the State Assembly, it asserted and asked as to why the HAC members and few politicians are spreading lies and propaganda against the Government.

It then conveyed gratitude to every section of the hill people who have expressed their opposition against the total shutdown called by ATSUM.

The PMRM is happy to see the steps taken up by Joint Tribe Students Association (JTSA), Thadou Student Association (Tengnoupal Branch), All Inpui Students Union (AISU), Liyangmei Katamai Rongwadi (LNKR), Rongmei Naga Students Organisation (RNSO), Zoumi Students Federation (ZSF) GHQ and Zeme Student Organisation Manipur (ZSOM) for standing with the people of Manipur, it added.

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