One-day closure tomorrow
TURA: Giving in to public pressure, the Garoland statehood activists under the banner of the Garo Hills State Movement Committee have (GHSMC) have once again suspended their indefinite bandh and instead announced a day-long closure on Thursday.
The chairman of the GHSMC informed media persons on Tuesday that their proposed indefinite Garo Hills bandh which was scheduled to begin from September 18 has been called off. Now the day-long closure will be effective from 5 am to 5 pm on Thursday.
“As the request to call off the indefinite bandh came from senior citizens, political leaders, church elders, principals of various institutions, the executive committee (of the GHSMC) has decided to call it off temporarily,” GHSMC chairman Nikman Ch Marak said.
Thursday’s closure will be followed by another bandh declared by the pro-ILP groups on Friday.
The GHSMC has been demanding the release of their leaders and supporters who have been put in jail following the attack on the deputy commissioner’s office in Tura a week ago.
Demand for removal of DC and SP: The statehood activists have demanded removal of West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner Pravin Bakshi nd district Superintendent of Police Mukesh Kr Singh blaming them for the prevailing law and order situation.
The Deputy Commissioner Bakshi had recently claimed that there was a demand from citizens to book those involved in the incident that took place in Deputy Commissioner’s office under MPDA. He also accused the statehood activists of molestation charges which were denied by the GHSMC even as a senior government official had cast doubts on the claims of the district official.
HSPDP support: Meanwhile, the HSPDP supremo HS Lyngdoh has extended his support to the leaders of Garo Hills who are spearheading the demand for a separate Garo state, our reporter adds from Shillong.
Lyngdoh said “Khasis, Jaintias and Garos are different in customs and practices; therefore it is best that we have a separate state.”
According to him, the HSPDP and GNC have been working together for separate states for the Khasi, Jaintia and Garo since 1992. Last year, the leaders of HSPDP and GNC had gone to New Delhi to submit a memorandum to the Prime Minister on the urgent need for a separate state for the two communities.
“We have even sent a reminder this year,” Lyngdoh said adding “We have an understanding that we should separate on the basis of mutual understanding and trust and also not encroach into one another’s territory.”