United Christian Peace Forum urges agitators to call off proposed bandhs
TURA: The United Christian Peace Forum (UCPF), a conglomerate of various Church elders from Garo Hills, has taken strong exception to West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner Pravin Bakshi’s reported circulation of an SMS alleging that the attack on his office by Garo Hills State Movement Committee volunteers had communal implications.
The matter was raised by a senior church elder during a meeting at Tura circuit house on Tuesday evening called by the district administration to discuss the series of bandhs affecting the Garo Hills region.
The president of the UCPF, Rev. GR Marak, while condemning the attack on women said that the district administration had failed to provide adequate security for its own employees during the discharge of their duties.
Castigating the Deputy Commissioner, the reverend stated that Bakshi should have exercised caution and restraint before circulating an SMS stating the attack had communal implications.
Several prominent citizens of Tura had received the alleged SMS from the mobile number of the Deputy Commissioner shortly after the unsavory incident at the Tura DC office.
At the time of the attack by GHSMC volunteers the Deputy Commissioner was not in station and his deputy and DRDA Project Director DD Sangma was holding charge.
The peace forum president also expressed displeasure over the frequent bandhs being imposed on the public by various organizations. He appealed to the agitating organizations, including the GHSMC and the GSU, to call off their proposed bandhs because it was creating undue hardships on the people of Garo Hills.
Representatives from the teaching community have also voiced their concern over frequent bandhs expressing their views that such closures were causing an impediment because this time of year is crucial for completion of syllabus and filling up forms for various examinations.
The slapping of MPDA charges on the arrested students leader was also termed a worrying factor by some of the members at the meeting who felt it could have serious ramifications on the law and order situation of the region.
It was agreed in general to appeal to the government for the revocation of arrest of the student leader under the MPDA.