Sacked Cong leader blames party

Shillong, Feb 1 (UNI) Sacked chief executive member of Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) H S Shylla today blamed the Congress for his removal after he questioned the ''tribal status'' of Union Tribal Affairs Minister P R Kyndiah's son Waibha K Kyndiah.

Mr Shylla, sacked last night from the top post of the KHADC, said Mr Waibha Kyndiah was ''not a tribal'' after taking his father Patty Ripple Kyndiah's surname, violating the Khasi matrilineal system.

Meghalaya Chief Minister D D Lapang's close aide and Nongpoh MDC Cleophas Banteilang Syiem will take over as the new KHADC chief.

The tussle between the Kyndiahs and Mr Shylla heated up after the Congress high command awarded junior Kyndiah to contest the Assembly elections, slated for March three from Nongkrem constituency.

''They should have not removed me. Instead, they should have waited for the judgment on this matter,'' Mr Shylla told reporters, while announcing that he would contest the Assembly polls as an Independent candidate from Nongkrem constituency.

According to Mr Shylla, junior Kyndiah had violated Section 10 of the Khasi Social Custom of Lineage, Act 2005.

Mr Shylla also claimed that junior Kyndiah could not contest the Assembly elections from Nongkrem constituency as he ceased to be a member of the Khasi Scheduled Tribe by incorporating his father's surname.

Nongkrem constituency is reserved seat for indigenous people of the state.

In Meghalaya, the Khasi, Jaintia and Garo communities follow the matrilineal system wherein the surname is traced from the mother's side.

Earlier, a local NGO ''Ka Seng Tip Kur Tip Kha U Khasi'', which came in support of Mr Shylla, had taken the matter before the court of East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner, alleging that junior Kyndiah violated Section 10 of the KHADC, (Khasi Social Custom of Lineage) Act 2005.

In this regard, the court fixed February five for the hearing.

However, the junior Kyndiah had maintained that he was a tribal as well as a Khasi.

''I have the Scheduled Tribe(ST) certificate to prove that I am a tribal and a Khasi,'' he said rubbishing allegations levelled against him that he was not a tribal and a non-Khasi by law.

UNI RRK SJC PK RN1853