Political violence is on the rise in Garo Hills. Those targeted are sitting MLAs and candidates for the 2013 Assembly elections. Suddenly the militia of Garo Hills all with amorphous ideologies have come alive and want to establish control over their home turfs. No one believes the claims of the ANVC oir GNLA that they stand for clean elections or that they are concerned about the kind of candidates political parties have put up or even that they are against political bribing. Each group now wants each of the candidates to buy peace for free movement. There is no time like now for the outfits to make easy money. There is a lot of money that will be floating around anyway and all the militant outfits know the financial worth of each candidate. They must be keeping track of their assets. In fact some of the militant outfits know exactly how much some politicians earn from the plethora of illegal check gates they have put up all along the route that coal and cement bearing trucks move. In many of the illegal check gates the two are keen competitors – one legally the other through the barrel of the gun. The elections are yet to be announced but the threats that have emerged are real. We now hear of land mines- a device banned the world over- being placed at vantage points. It is curious as to how these land mines are finding their way into the interiors of Garo Hills. How bad or how good is the police intelligence network? At this juncture it may be correct to say that the State Police and the Central Reserved Police Force are not enough to counter the militant threat in Garo Hills.
The newly appointed Director General of Police (DGP) had recently stated that his first priority would be to tackle militancy. Obviously his attention must be focussed on the Garo Hills where the situation appears to have degenerated into complete anarchy with militants calling the shots. The presence of law enforcing authorities does not seem to deter the militants from having their way. That gun-toting militias can roam around unhindered to threaten politicians and ordinary citizens is a telling account of the breakdown of the law and order machinery. So far politicians have only been warned and perhaps some have negotiated with the groups for safe passage. But what happens once the rough and tumble of elections begins? Will candidates be able to campaign in an atmosphere that is free from fear? Some candidates have been warned not to visit their constituencies. Till date we have not heard a single statement emanating from the corridors of the Election Department which is meant to ensure, above all, free movement of candidates. Will there be an election bloodbath in Garo Hills? Only time will tell.