West Garo Hills admin directed to prepare report
SHILLONG: Toughening its stand against the Garo Hills State Movement Committee (GHSMC), Government has decided to file a case against the pressure group for calling an indefinite bandh in Garo Hills in gross violation of Supreme Court order.
The GHSMC has announced indefinite bandh in the five districts of Garo Hills from September 18.
In line with the decision, Government has directed the West Garo Hills district administration to prepare a report.
Informing this on Monday, West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner Pravin Bakshi told The Shillong Times that the proposed indefinite bandh was a gross violation of Supreme Court order.
He said the district administration has been told by government to prepare a report on how the bandh is the contempt of the Supreme Court order.
The GHSMC has called for an indefinite bandh demanding unconditional release of the 25 activists arrested by police for allegedly manhandling employees of Tura Deputy Commissioner’s office last week.
Bakshi felt that people should come out openly against such bandhs.
“I have convened a meeting on Tuesday with citizens on the proposed bandh,” Bakshi said.
On the law and order management in view of the bandh, Bakshi said police and magistrates would be deployed in different parts of the district.
The Deputy Commissioner, meanwhile, denied that the residence of Chokpot MLA Clifford Marak was raided by police personnel.
“It was not a raid. The police mobile patrolling party was informed by a source about the presence of few statehood activists who were hiding there,” he said.
The Chokpot MLA decided to move a privilege motion against the Superintendent of Police of West Garo Hills, MK Singh, and Magistrate JJ Sangma for sending police and a magistrate to raid his house at Tura on Thursday as part of a crack down on Garoland activits.
The Deputy Commissioner also informed that the statehood activists who had resorted to hunger strike inside the Tura district jail have suspended their agitation for 48 hours.
FKJGP plea: Meanwhile, the FKJGP’s Garo Hills Zone has urged GHSMC activists to reconsider their indefinite bandh decision stating that the stand-off between the activists and the administration would ultimately affect the public at large.
“We do not subscribe to the idea that the indefinite bandh is the solution for the matter as the case has been forwarded to the Judiciary and there is little that the administration can do in the matter,” FKJGP Garo Hills Zone President, Pritam R. Marak said. The FKJGP unit has urged the district administration to invite the GHSMC activists for dialogues. “This will in turn will help stabilizing the law and order situation in Garo Hills,” Marak said adding “If necessary the FKJGP is willing to mediate for both the sides.”