After Kashmir Move, Article 371G in Mizoram Under Threat?

Aizawl, August 6, 2019:

The abrogation of Article 370 by the Indian Government, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, has raised apprehensions in Northeastern state Mizoram on Monday.

Many academicians and politicians are fearing that the NDA government might scrap next the special provisions that protect the interests of the state's indigenous people.

Article 371 G of the Constitution states that the Parliament cannot decide on the matters

of the religious and social practices of the Mizos, civil and criminal law of the land, land ownership transfer, and customary law procedure without the consent of the Assembly.

The provision came into effect in 1986 following the signing of the historic Mizo Accord

between the Centre and the erstwhile underground Mizo National Front (MNF). Mizoram,

then a Union territory, was granted the status of full-fledged statehood on February 20,

1987.

Newly-floated political party People's Representation for Identity and Status of Mizoram

(PRISM) also condemned the Centre's move, saying the "northeastern states were no

longer safe in the hands of the NDA government".

Speaking to Inside Northeast, PRISM President Vanlalruata, said, "We condemn the Government's move in Kashmir, because we are afraid of a similar fate befalling Mizoram and other Northeastern States. We organized a press statement yesterday, and again, today, we have organized a meeting, to discuss this very serious issue."

Lallianchhunga, assistant professor of the Political Science department in the Mizoram University, has alleged that the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance government had been violating the federal spirits of the Constitution and moving towards a "unitary government".

"The Centre, in the name of economic development and internal security, may soon target

the northeastern states with special provisions and statutes," he said.

Riachho, a retired Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, said the Centre did not

honour the Instrument of Accession signed on October 26, 1947, by Hari Singh, the then

ruler of Jammu and Kashmir.

A similar sentiment was echoed by Assam's peasant leader Akhil Gogoi. The KMSS leader warned that the Government will soon look the scrap the Article 371A to 371G, which give special constitutional safeguards to the people of Northeast India. He further cautioned that the Government might pass the

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