Moonlight Pariat joins BJP to advocate for Meghalaya district councils

Moonlight Pariat, a former Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) Chief Executive Member and current Jowai South MDC, has joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Pariat stated his move is intended to bring the concerns of Meghalaya's autonomous district councils to the central leadership in Delhi.

A primary focus of Pariat's agenda is the removal of Paragraph 12A of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India. He argues that this provision restricts the legislative effectiveness of the three autonomous district councils in Meghalaya by ensuring that state laws prevail over council laws in the event of a conflict. Pariat claimed that this provision has “tied the hands” of the MDCs, preventing them from fully exercising their powers.

Additionally, Pariat raised concerns regarding financial disparities and the lack of development schemes for the councils. He noted that while other councils receive significant funding, Meghalaya's councils have faced shortages. He also called for the lifting of the ban on coal mining in Meghalaya, questioning why the National Green Tribunal's ban applies to Meghalaya but not to similar areas in Assam.