HSPDP-GHSMC to form committee to revive demand for separate Garoland and Khasi-Jaintia state

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJuly 12, 2021

The Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP) and the Garo Hills State Movement Committee (GHSMC) have decided to form a coordination committee to restart the movement for creation of a separate Garoland and Khasi-Jaintia state.

The decision was taken at a joint meeting held between the two parties at Tura, West Garo Hills district last week. 

“We are going to form a coordination committee to restart the movement for creation of separate Garoland and Khas-Jaintia state,” HSPDP president KP Pangniang told reporters on Monday. 

He said the two parties had already discussed the need to relook the ground reality on how to move forward for demanding separate states for the two different identities. 

“We will continue our discussion…and we will come up with resolution having specific demands and to again submit a joint memorandum to the Government of India,” Pangniang added. 

According to him, the coordination committee would also discuss on the issue related to Khasis residing in Garo Hills and Garos in Khasi Hills region.

He said the demand for separate Khasi Jaintia state and Garoland was raised during the tenure of the former HSPDP leader (L) Hoping Stone Lyngdoh and former Garo National Council (GNC) leader (L) Clifford R Marak. 

Asked, Pangniang said that the HSPDP and GHSMC are raising the issue not as a political agenda but for the larger interest of the indigenous people from both the communities. 

He also informed that the GHADC CEM and Deputy CEM during a meeting held on Saturday last week revealed that their House had already unanimously passed an official resolution for creation of separate Garoland.

Further justifying the demand, the HSPDP president said as per the State Reorganization Committee of the Government of India in 1955, states in the country have been created on the basis of language.

He cited the example of Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and others. “So we also as Khasis we have the right to demand as per mandate given in the Constitution of India,” Pangniang stated.