On 39th Anniversary of Mizo Peace Accords, MNF Erects Hoarding of Article 371G in Aizawl

New Delhi: Various sections of Article 371 of the Constitution are meant for exclusive provisions granted to the eight north-eastern states. One such provisions, Article 371 (G), had marked the birth of India’s 23rd state – Mizoram.

Through the 53rd amendment to the Constitution, that Article was a promise by Indian Parliament to the people of the border state of Mizoram to protect their customary laws, religious and social practices, land ownership, etc, as consigned in the Mizo Accord, signed between the Mizo National Front (MNF) and the Rajiv Gandhi government on June 30, 1986.

This June 30, marking its 39th anniversary, the youth wing of MNF, installed a hoarding of Article 371G of the Constitution in front of the party’s office in Aizawl. That peace accord had brought the curtains down on two decades of insurgency in what was then called the Lushai hills. The Accord had facilitated the birth of Mizoram on February 20, 1987 with MNF founder and respected Mizo leader the late Pu Laldenga as its first chief minister.

Besides Laldenga, the other two signatories to that Accord were the then Home Secretary R. D. Pradhan and the then Mizoram chief secretary Lalkhama. This June 30, Lalkhama, the only surviving signatory to that peace Accord with Centre, unveiled the hoarding in the presence of many including MNF youth wing president and legislator Robert R Royte.

Speaking on the occasion, Royte recalled the sacrifices made by the MNF cadres and their leaders to get that peace agreement with New Delhi. According to the Mizoram Post, Royte also stated that the Constitutional provision ensures that “the Mizoram assembly has the constitutional power to accept or reject the Acts passed by Parliament in matters concerning Mizo religion, customary law and land as per Article 371G.”

“Only Mizoram and Nagaland assemblies have such powers,” he added.

'Mizo peace accord was not with MNF but between India and the Mizoram'

Later, addressing a public meeting on the occasion at Saitual, Zoramthanga, former chief minister and top MNF leader and a former associate of Laldenga, said, “Some vested interests may devalue the Mizo peace accord as only the accord between India and the MNF. However, it was an accord between Mizoram and India. It was signed by Laldenga on behalf of the MNF and Lalkhama (former chief secretary) on behalf of the Mizo people, who did not go underground.”

He also said, “Unlike Nagaland, which was given special protection (Article 371A) on compassionate ground, and can easily be abrogated (by Parliament), Article 371 (G) or special protection was brought about by the Mizos, and it therefore, can’t be easily abrogated.”

After the Narendra Modi government read down the Article 370 of the Constitution, which gave special powers to Jammu and Kashmir, there has been apprehensions in several northeastern states including Sikkim, Nagaland and Mizoram.

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