By Our Reporter
SHILLONG:To intensify their demand for upgradation of the Mairang Civil Sub Division to a district, the Joint Action Committee (JAC), a conglomerate of various political parties, NGOs and traditional bodies of Mairang in West Khasi Hills district staged an indefinite hunger strike here near AIR Shillong on Tuesday.
About 38 members of the JAC including local residents of Mairang participated in the hunger strike which started at 10 am here on Tuesday and is likely to continue till the demand are met.
“We will sit here day and night till our demand is met”, JAC secretary Bobby Basaiawmoit told reporters here on Tuesday.
When apprised about the statement made by the Chief Minister to the local NGOs of West Khasi Hills at Secretariat here on Monday on the announcement of the name of the 4th district to be made after the Budget session, Basaiawmoit said “We don’t know about that but accordingly we will continue to agitate because we don’t know whether the government will keep its promise or not”, he added.
Reacting to a query on their response if Mawkyrwat Civil Sub Division is upgraded to a district, Basaiawmoit said “As long as West Khasi Hills gets a district, we dont mind”, while reiterating that Mairang deserves to be upgraded to a district on ground being the oldest civil sub- division in the state.
Meanwhile, the agitators were dispersed by the district administration stating that they have not received any permission to stage a hunger strike and accordingly were forcefully driven back to Mairang.