Editor,
It is noticed that the HNLC has always jumped in to call a bandh which coincides with the religious festivals of one or the other communities living in Meghalaya. Last year the outfit called a bandh just before Christmas and withdrew it only after Christian religious heads appealed to it through the newspapers and television media. The HNLC represents a few disgruntled elements whose only pre-occupation is to demolish the reputations of national leaders of this country including Mahatma Gandhi who is the architect of India’s freedom struggle. By castigating Gandhi the HNLC is saying that they prefer to be slaves of a colonial power. Their intentions and ideology are as anti-national as it can get. What is surprising is that the State Government or more specifically the chief minister, Dr Mukul Sangma is contemplating ‘talking peace’ with this rag-tag outfit that does not even have any following. Take a roll call in the real world (not the virtual world of Facebook where disgruntled elements congregate to spew venom on the establishment) and see how many people actually support the HNLC. As of today no one wants to be associated with this outfit although people have their grouses against the Government. They know that the HNLC and other militant outfits have their own subversive objectives and do not necessarily stand for the welfare of the Khasi-Jaintia people.
One is surprised that the leading social organizations like ICARE which otherwise have been vocal in protesting against bandh calls by the HNLC are now silent. It is time that civil society groups air their protests against all bandhs loud and clear. There will be many who will come out in support. People are looking for leaders. Alas the leaders seem to fail us all the time!
Yours etc.,
MN Kharkongor,
Via email
Condemnation of HNLC Bandh
Editor,
The death of protesters in police firing in East Jaintia Hills is a tragic incident which needs to be properly investigated to find out if there was a conspiracy by persons or organizations to instigate and incite the crowd and also the administrative and police actions taken to contain the situation, including the use of disproportionate force.
However, the 24 hour bandh called by the HNLC beginning from October 1, ostensibly as a protest against the above incident and also the killing of a student of the State in Karnataka is highly irresponsible and dangerous, to say the least. The HNLC must know that the days on which they have called the bandh coincides with the beginning of Durga Puja celebrations of the Hindu religious minority in the state. What the bandh will achieve is to paint the people of Meghalaya particularly the Khasis as an intolerant, insensitive and a communally prejudiced society. Perhaps this is what the HNLC hopes to achieve so that there is a backlash against the Khasi community and their religious practices in the other parts of the country. It is therefore the duty of all citizens of the state, particularly the Christian majority, to stand up and defend the rights and freedom of religious minorities in the State in the same way the rights and freedom of Christians and other religious minorities are upheld in the rest of the country.
I don’t think I need to condemn the outburst of HNLC against Mahatma Gandhi as his works and deeds are too great to require a defense from an ordinary being like me. What I must say here is the views of HNLC on Gandhi and our being part of this INDIA do not represent me, my family and the majority of the indigenous people of Meghalaya.
JAI HIND
Yours etc.,
Sumarbin Umdor