Hidden agenda behind Govt’s financial reforms for ADCs, claims Mukul

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaSeptember 4, 2025

 Leader of Opposition Mukul Sangma has criticized the government’s proposal for financial reforms and paying salaries to Autonomous District Council (ADC) employees, questioning the constitutional validity and intent behind the move.

Speaking to media persons on Wednesday, Sangma said that any financial reforms must adhere to the Constitution of India and the mandates of the Finance Commission.

“Everything that the government does has to be within the mandate of the Constitution of India. It cannot be anybody wishful thinking,” he stated.

The former chief minister expressed concern that the government’s decision to directly pay ADC employee salaries from November 1 may infringe upon the autonomy of ADCs, which is protected by the Constitution even as he questioned whether the government had consulted with other ADCs before making this decision and whether this move undermines the constitutional mandate.

Sangma further alleged that the government’s stance may indicate a “hidden agenda” to weaken ADCs, rather than strengthening them.

“Do they (govt) have some hidden agenda to weaken the ADCs slowly. Because even the offer of the government that the salary of the employees of the ADCs will be given directly by the state government with effect from November 1, that is a conclusive decision. Is it not? If they are saying that from November 1, they are going to do this, that is a conclusive decision,” he said.

“I am wondering with whom have they discussed this issue? Have they discussed it with other ADCs? No, then are they not infringing upon the autonomy of the ADCs which is contrary to the actual mandate of the Constitution,” Sangma stated while adding “It is quite an irony. Now the government is saying that your employees are your employees, you are autonomous bodies so I have nothing to do with it but at the same time they are saying I will give the salaries of the employees directly without you knowing. It is something like if you have an employee in the house and somebody says okay I pay salary to your employee of the house.”

On the plight of GHADC employees who have not received salaries for 44 months, Sangma accused the government of shirking its responsibility and appearing insensitive to the situation.

“The GHADC employees have not been getting salaries for the past 44 months. Under these circumstances, of course there have been some concrete decisions taken to ensure that the ADCs are able to somehow sail through this kind of crisis for the time being and we are taking measures to ensure a similar situation is not repeated but, on the contrary, the government has said it cannot do anything. They have shrugged off their responsibility and washed off their hands. That is something which is not acceptable because the government has to understand the sensitivity of the situation, the gravity of the situation and understand the importance of ADCs,” he said.

“Will the ADCs become redundant if the government says it cannot do anything. That is the kind of message which does not give hope to the people. Therefore, people have to question and become more and more confused and people have reasons to believe that the incumbent government is insensitive to the situation and this insensitivity also reflect their lack of concern about the responsibility of the government towards further strengthening of the ADCs rather on the contrary, this whole stand of the government is indicative of the government probably hidden agenda to weaken the ADCs otherwise what explanation can convince us otherwise,” Sangma added.

According to him, the government must respond to challenges and act to prevent such crises.