By HH Mohrmen
Calling bandh at the drop of a hat is now a rule for the pressure groups in the state and strikes were called by NGOs even on flimsy grounds. Strikes are called at the whims and fancies of the leaders at very short notice and no consideration whatsoever is made of its impact on the life of the people. The strikes called at very short notice do not give people the opportunity to organize their lives beforehand. People who travel; those who had planned for their weddings, church assemblies, meetings and conferences, exams, selection tests and even fetes to raise funds for schools had to be cancelled because of these frequent bandhs and strikes called at short notice. Are these events and programs of a lesser importance? Couples who have planned their weddings months together and the future of young students is decided by the selection tests and exams they appear, yet these were stopped to make way for the bandhs and strikes.
This only goes to prove that the people in the state are still living in a fool’s paradise believing that everything will come to a grinding halt and even the world will stop when the pressure groups call their strikes. Did the world stop or did the clock’s hand stop even for a nano second because there is a strike in Meghalaya? We are losing time here; (did somebody say time and tide waits for no one and time is very precious) students and even grown-ups writhe in anger because their entire plan has gone haywire. And people allow this to happen without any protest because they have no plans in their lives; neither do they have any plan for the week ahead or even the day. If it is not so, why not protest against bandhs? Pressure groups can dictate terms to the whole society because the Khasi-Pnar people accept anything that happens in their lives, even strikes without prior announcement, as divine providence.
Please do not tell us that these agitations are important for the Jaidbynriew/jeitbru/Jatjeprew. We have heard these excuses since 1979 and the question is what have we achieved? More importantly who has benefitted from these protests? Can we say that the two former presidents of the KSU BN Lyngdoh and Paul Lyngdoh who joined politics later did not owe their popularity to the KSU? And the ex chairman of the banned HNLC to win the election to membership in the state legislative assembly because of is association with the organization? In Jaintia hills former president of the JSU Philemon Lyngdoh, vice president Wanbeit Chullet and Finance Secretary Qually Suiam became popular and won the election to be members of the district council because of their connection with the students’ union. And for that matter even Dr. R C Laloo and S Mulieh were founding leaders of the JSU and the list is endless.
It would be interesting if a study is conducted to find out the different kinds of strikes organized by the various NGOs since 1979 and their impacts on the life of the people. How many precious days have the people of the state lost to strikes? It would also be interesting to know what have the strikes since 1979 have achieved? How many of those demands were met by the authorities concerned? And more importantly the fate of the leaders who led those agitations- where are they now. Are they well placed in the society? Did those bandhs and strike help catapult them to the position that they are in now?
The bandh called by the proscribed HNLC came like a bolt from the blue even for the supporters of ILP because the bandh was called to protest the visit of the President of India and it has nothing to do with ILP. Influence of the HNLC has gradually diminished in the recent past as there was very poor observation of the bandh called by the banned organization during Independence and Republic day. The bandh called by the HNLC has only proved that the organization is out of sync with what is happening in the society. The HNLC did not respect the youths in the higher secondary schools and colleges who are appearing for their selection tests. Neither does the organization show any respect for the youths who have dreamed and burned their midnight oil hoping for a day to receive their credentials from the University. The bandh was called because President Mukherjee’s visit coincides with the 25 death anniversary of the Wycliffe Syiem but the question is how can the president of the country’s visit be an insult to the people as if his death anniversary is widely celebrated? People do not remember Wycliffe as much as they remember Soso Tham, Kiang Nangbah or Tirot Singh because the former chose to leave his fellow men, his country and live in a foreign land! Again it may be interesting to study how much the young people of the state know about Wickliffe Syiem or for that matter if the young generation even cares about the Instrument of Accession and Annexed Agreement of 1948? It will also be interesting to know if the youths share this notion of the independent Hynñiewtrep state with the HNLC. Even if there is a section of the youth that support the Hynñiewtrep state, what is the percentage of that group in the society?
I tried asking some young people I met these questions. I am sorry but nobody has ever heard of Wycliffe and they don’t even care about the Instrument of Accession. These issues are no longer relevant to the young people; young people are worried about their education, their carriers and job opportunity. Young people may be concerned about the development of the state or the influx of foreign nationals from across the state, but the notion of Hynñiewtrep state is certainly not in their radar screen. Wycliffe and the instrument of accession should be confined to their rightful place – the pages of history. The question is even if history has a place for the Instrument of Accession, one wonders if Wycliffe Syiem will find any mention in it.
The bandh culture is not going to do the state and its people any good. It had already had a drastic impact on the students appearing for their selection tests and examinations, and the youths who are due to attend the NEHU convocation are in a dilemma; still the KSU and the JSU has not said anything. Are these Students’ Unions supposed to speak for the interest of the students or are they for name sake only? If these are not students’ issues then what are students’ issue?
The question that needs to be asked is whether the Government done enough to stop these undemocratic bandhs? Has the Congress led government under the leadership of Dr Mukul Sangma been able to perform its duty? Has it been able to protect the life and property of the citizens? Dr Sangma should tender his resignation and allow Presidents’ Rule in the State if, in spite of all the machinery available at his disposal, he still fails in his duty to stop this bandh culture in the state.