SHILLONG: The police lathi-charge on protesters, mostly women, during the HYC-sponsored rally on Friday came under sharp criticism with several organizations condemning the act.
In a statement issued here on Saturday, the HNYF central body condemned the law enforcement agencies alleging that, “they broke all laws of a democratic country and human rights by resorting to lathi-charge against pedestrians and innocent people even in areas beyond the coverage of the imposed section 144 CrPC”.
Stating that the situation did not warrant a lathi-charge, the HNYF said that the act only proved the inefficacy of the officers on the field to control the crowd.
“This is an attempt to convert Meghalaya into a police state,” it added.
The TUR also condemned the “police excesses”.
“The crackdown was more a failure of police and administrative measures to ensure the peaceful completion of the HYC protest rally,” the TUR said.
It also condemned alleged police highhandedness against women protesters and urged the women’s commission to take steps to instruct the state administration to take note of this.
Meanwhile, coming down heavily against the “unprovoked lathi-charge” by the Police after the public meeting at Laban Sports Club, the Meghalaya Peoples Human Rights Council (MPHRC) slammed the police action as “inhumane and undemocratic”.
Condemning and brushing aside the justification provided by the East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police, M. Kharkrang that “the use of force was imperative to ensure the rule of law”, the MPHRC said that the statement is an absurd attempt to divert the attention of the public in the name of maintaining law and order.
“Further Kharkrang has failed to justify the difference between the use of force and mild lathi-charge,” said MPHRC.
“Who ordered or authorized the lathi-charge? Did the situation warrant it? Was the use of force urgently needed to ‘resolve the situation’? Wasn’t there any other alternative to safely accomplish the lawful objective? ” questioned MPHRC even as it said that the attack is an example of state terror that is routinely unleashed on the people in order to crush their resentment,” said Dino Dympep, chairman MPHRC.
He also asked Home Minister Roshan Warjri to “examine and determine the claim of Kharkrang on the use of mild lathi-charge” which had resulted in injuries to several people.
The Youth Voices for Human Rights Organisation (YVHRO) also condemned the incident.
