Defy shutdown call: Roshan Warjri • Refrain from merry-making on Oct 1, 2: HNLC
SHILLONG: Home Minister Roshan Warjri has urged the people of the State to defy the bandh call given by HNLC even as the proscribed outfit has decided to exempt people attending to religious ceremonies from the purview of the 24- hour shutdown commencing from 6 pm of October 1.
In a statement issued here on Monday, Warjri said that the strike would affect the flood-related relief works, puja festivities and daily wage earners.
Further, she said that necessary security arrangements are in place whereby all government establishments have been directed to function normally.
The HNLC, meanwhile, on Monday said it will go ahead with its 24-hour bandh even as it assured there will not be any hindrance in religious places in the entire Khasi-Jaintia Hills.
“The objective of the shutdown is to show a mark of protest to the police brutality which had taken two innocent lives (S Phawa & D Siangshai) in Wapung village, Jaintia Hills. We have called this bandh to protest the killing of Banker Passah,” Nongtraw said. The HNLC, however, appealed to the people observing puja to refrain from merry-making.
The outfit urged the CPC to instruct the various puja committees to abstain from merry making, drinking, shouting, dancing and bursting of crackers on October 1 and 2 as a mark of respect to the innocent people who lost their lives in Jaintia Hills.
October 2 will be observed as a black day and people can show their solidarity by wearing black badges (flags), the statement said. He also informed that patients, ambulance services, media vehicles will be exempted from the purview of the bandh.
“The sudden decision of the MIPRL to withdraw the economic blockade also throws light as to how it had used the people just to get credit for their political motives,” the HNLC publicity secretary said adding that the HNLC suspects a foul play instigated by Vincent Pala in order to get a chance to topple the government as he was not successful in his earlier motives.