Changes in TAC ‘murder of Constitution’: Tribal minister

JAMSHEDPUR: Attacking the ruling Hemant Soren government in Jharkhand over the newly amended Tribal Advisory Council (TAC) notification giving power to appoint members to the chief minister (CM), Union Minister of Tribal Affairs Arjun Munda has termed the move as “unconstitutional”.

Earlier, the aforesaid power was vested with the Governor under 5th schedule of the Constitution. “This new notification by the Jharkhand government amending TAC provisions and snatching powers of the Governor and vesting it in the CM is unconstitutional. It is murder of the Constitution. If this trend continues, then tomorrow they will say they won’t take oath before the Governor and form government and take oath on their own,”

Munda said during a virtual meeting with senior BJP leaders in Jamshedpur on Tuesday.

The former chief minister said those resorting to these unconstitutional acts were the same people who diluted the century-old British time Chotanagpur Tenancy Act (CNT Act) and Santhal Pargana Act (SPT Act).

“Is this the Jharkhand for which Bhagwan Birsa Munda laid down his life? Is this the Jharkhand of his dreams where rights of tribals are being snatched. The committee which interfered and tried to tamper with CNT and SPT Acts was chaired by the then state finance minister who is now the chief minister (Hemant Soren),” Munda said.

Meanwhile, tribal organisation Adivasi Sengel Abhiyan’s (ASA) leader and former Mayurbhanj MP Salkhan Murmu also criticised the

Hemant Soren government’s move.

“The move is against the letter and spirit of the Constitution. Only the Governor has the power to devise rules and regulations for TAC and appoint members under 5th schedule of the Constitution. There’s no provision in the Constitution for the CM and tribal welfare minister to become ex-officio chairman and vice-chairman of TAC,” said Murmu.

Reacting strongly to the criticism, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) central general secretary and spokesperson Supriyo Bhattacharya said former Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh also brought similar changes in TAC rules during his tenure.

“Where were the BJP leaders at that time when their own government did the same thing in Chhattisgarh,” said Bhattacharya.