Security beefed up for twin agitation

SHILLONG: Security measures were on Tuesday tightened in the state in view of Wednesday’s twin agitation — sit-in-demonstration called by pro-ILP pressure groups demanding dropping of all pending cases against their leaders and release of KSU chief Deniel Khyriem and HSPDP’s office picketing opposing the High Court ruling derecognizing the powers of headmen.
In view of HSPDP’s week-long office picketing in all districts of Khasi and Jaintia Hills from Wednesday, the State Government has directed all its employees to attend office and carry on with their normal duties. Strict action will be taken against all unauthorized absence, an official notification said.
The HSPDP had issued a deadline of March 10 to the State Government to resolve the imbroglio that arose out of last year’s Meghalaya High Court ruling clipping the powers of traditional heads.
East Khasi Hills district police chief M Kharkrang said that all security arrangements have been made with additional deployment of CRPF and local police personnel.
Earlier in the day, the HSPDP vice-president Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit said his party would go ahead with its proposed one-week office picketing, which starts from Wednesday, since they are yet to receive any official communiqué from the State Government on the steps taken to provide an interim relief in view of the High Court ruling on traditional institutions.
“We have come to know about the ordinance, approved by the Cabinet on Monday, only through newspapers. We have not yet received any official communication from the Government in this connection,” Basaiawmoit said while addressing newsmen here on Tuesday.
Earlier on Monday, the Cabinet had approved an ordinance to empower traditional institutions.
The State Cabinet in a meeting approved the Meghalaya Local Administration (Empowerment of Traditional Institutions, Traditional Bodies, and Headmen in Governance Delivery System) Ordinance, 2015 which was proposed by the Law department.
The Ordinance will be sent to Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi for his assent. The HSPDP leader said that the demand of the party was that the Government should adopt the Village Administration Bill (VAB), 2015 which was passed by the KHADC pending the State legislation.
“We have maintained that the Government should replicate the VAB while formulating the State Law to empower the traditional institutions. We would want the Government to adopt the salient features of the bill passed by the KHADC,” the HSPDP vice president said.
He said that the party has never asked for the ordinance. Meanwhile, he threatened to launch agitation if Government and financial institutions take action against the staff who were absent from duty in view of this office picketing.