Shillong: The Jaiñtia National Council (JNC) on Thursday staged a protest at the office premises of the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC), raising concerns over the continued marginalisation of the Pnar language in official functioning and the alleged unchecked illegal trading activities by non-tribal traders in Jaintia Hills.
The protest was held after the JHADC allegedly failed to fulfil assurances given to the organisation in a memorandum submitted in September 2025.
The JNC reiterated that the Pnar language is intrinsic to the identity, culture and daily life of the Jaintia people and must be given due importance in all official affairs of the District Council.
Despite the approval of the A-B Jaintia alphabet and its notification in the Meghalaya Gazette, the organisation said the use of Pnar in legislative proceedings, administrative orders, notifications and institutional communication remains minimal and largely symbolic.
The organisation demanded the immediate and full incorporation of the Pnar language and the A-B Jaintia script in all legislative, administrative and educational institutions functioning under the jurisdiction of the JHADC.
Addressing the gathering, JNC president Sambormi Lyngdoh criticised the JHADC for not actively pursuing a resolution urging the state government to include the Pnar language under the Meghalaya State Language Act.
He said recognition of Pnar is essential for safeguarding the customs, traditions and matrilineal practices of the Jaintia community, particularly in matters related to traditional titles and inheritance through the maternal line.
The second major issue highlighted during the protest was the alleged illegal and irregular trading activities carried out by non-tribal traders in the JHADC area.
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The JNC alleged that trading licences are being issued or renewed without proper scrutiny, allowing non-tribal traders from outside the state to operate in violation of laws meant to protect the economic interests of indigenous tribal communities.
Lyngdoh further said that the failure to strictly enforce licensing norms has led to significant revenue losses for the District Council, affecting development works and the settlement of pending dues.
During the address, the Chief Executive Member (CEM) of the JHADC, Thombor Shiwat, reportedly expressed concerns over institutional weaknesses within the Council and requested that the speech be halted.
Following assurances from the CEM and Deputy CEM that the demands raised by the JNC would be addressed, the organisation decided to temporarily suspend the protest.
However, the JNC warned that if concrete action is not taken within the stipulated time, it would intensify its agitation and adopt stricter measures.
