From Our Correspondent
TURA: The rising tension between the Tura Government College Students’ Union (TGCSU) and the Garo Students’ Union (GSU) finally came to an end on Friday evening following the signing of a joint declaration of peace in the presence of magistrates and church leaders at Tura Police Station.
The much sought after breakthrough for peace came after an unsuccessful reconciliation meeting held at the Tura Circuit House where the two organisations traded charges despite attempts by the district administration to get both sides to see reason.
The TGCSU delegation had sought the arrest of the GSU leaders who allegedly perpetrated the attack and abduction of their general secretary, Nikman Ch Marak, from within the college premises on Thursday leading to an all round assault on the union office by hundreds of college students.
The over three-hour-long talks failed to achieve a breakthrough with both sides refusing to make amends. The meeting ended on a stalemate with neither side willing to make amends.
In the meantime, word went around of an impending bandh in Garo Hills pushing people indoors and traders closing shop.
Additional District Magistrate, Ambrose Ch Marak, who led the reconciliatory meeting pointed out to the students from both sides that repeated bandhs and hartals affecting people would lead to much difficulty for the common man and a time would come when the public would rise against the unions as witnessed during the last GNLA bandh in May.
“Today we saw how so many young school students were stranded without buses due to the sudden bandh and people could not go about their normal life. This should not have happened,” said Marak much to the acknowledgement of the gathered students.
It was only after 5 pm that the two sides agreed to end the stalemate in the interest of the public.
Both sides converged at the Tura police station where they signed a joint declaration before the ADM and church leaders promising to end all hostilities and bring normalcy back to the region.
As part of the peace pact the TGCSU withdrew their FIR against the GSU president lodged with Tura police leading to the dropping of all charges against him.
The GSU also gave a reconciliatory gesture by announcing that those members allegedly involved in the attack on the TGCSU general secretary had been handed over to the police.
In the light of the compromise all charges were dropped against one and all and the students were urged to return to their respective institutions.
A brief handshake between the GSU president Tengsak G Momin and the TGCSU general secretary Nikman Ch Marak broke the ice leading to congratulatory shakes from both sides much to the delight of the district administration.
GSU leaders deny hand in abduction incident
The top leadership of the GSU have categorically denied having any hand in the attack and abduction of Tura Government College Students’ Union (TGCSU) general secretary on Thursday as claimed by the college students.
TGCSU general secretary Nikman Ch Marak who was the victim of the daring abduction and assault by GSU members had earlier revealed to mediapersons that GSU president Tengsak G Momin and adviser Manseng A Sangma watched on even as their student members, particularly environment secretary Chingsram Marak, attacked him repeatedly.
“We were not present when the incident occurred and have no role to play in whatever took place,” said the GSU president and the adviser.
They claimed that what took place was without the knowledge of the union leadership and highly ‘condemnable’.