By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The flag march staged by the Meghalaya Police and the Border Security Force in the city on Wednesday has been severely criticized by citizens from various parts of the city. Many of them said that the current situation does not warrant such an exercise.
However, Home Minister HDR Lyngdoh asserted that there are no plans for any more flag march but added that police patrolling would be intensified in the city.
“The flag march was to instill a sense of security among people and not to show any strength,” he added while speaking to reporters here on Thursday.
Addressing a conference here on Thursday, a group of citizens from various localities of the city have decided to submit a petition to East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner Sanjay Goyal requesting him not to involve the paramilitary forces to handle the law and order if the ‘situation does not demand so’.
While insisting that the district administration should refrain from involving the paramilitary forces, one of the concerned citizens, Allantry F Dkhar, said that the exercise has only added fuel to the situation instead to bringing about a sense of security among the citizens.
“We are not supporting vandalism of government properties. We also feel disturbed over the various incidents which have taken place in the past few days,” Dkhar added.
The concerned citizens termed the flag march as a mere show of strength which was provocative in nature.
They also observed that stray cases of arson and attack on a couple of government vehicles were not serious enough to warrant the flag march.
KSU president Daniel Khyriem also castigated the flag march saying BSF should stage flag march in border areas and not in the city as people living in the border areas require more security.