Govt acted under pressure
SHILLONG: The Meghalaya People’s United Front (MPUF) has threatened to resort to ‘illegal means” if the State Government proceeds with the transfer of West Jaintia Hills DC Arun Kumar Kembhavi while demanding to revoke his transfer order.
Hamwer Bhoi, president of MPUF’s Laskein circle, said, “The State Government should have allowed him to work till his term expires.” Replying to a query, he said, “The DC from East Jaintia Hills, W.R. Lyngdoh’s term was for five years when it should have been three years.”
He informed that Kembhavi has served for 551 days. “We want the DC to remain and let him complete his term,” he said.
A sit-in demonstration was organised by the pressure body to let the Government know that they are against its decision to transfer the DC.
The central body president of MPUF, Dawanpoimi Laloo, is on hunger strike for the last three days opposing the State Government’s decision. “The agitations went unheeded. The president took a step to go on an indefinite hunger strike,” Bhoi said. The MPUF president said they would resort to “illegal mean” if the transfer order is not cancelled. “If the State Government does not take note of our pleas, we will intensify our agitation,” he added.
Bhoi said the DC is an honest and dedicated officer and ever since he joined office, the district has been developed and alleged that some politicians are influencing the Government.
Alleging that there is favoritism, Bhoi said, “The result for the post conducted by DSC was to be declared on January 15 but till date it was not declared.”
When asked to reveal the names of the politicians who the association alleged to be behind the transfer, he said, “We will reveal at the right time. There are altogether four representatives in West Jaintia Hills.”
He recalled that under his tenure as DC, Kembhavi has brought numerous projects to the District, starting with the Rs 2-crore Rashtriya Uchchattar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) project for Kiang Nongbah Government College.
“Bringing the project to the college, which will benefit the students, should be the priority of the representatives but in this case the DC took it upon himself to do so,” Bhoi said, adding that the district also got the Rs 6.04-crore renewable energy project under Kembhavi.
Replying to a query that certain NGOs are demanding the removal of the DC, Bhoi said, “We recall that he was the one who issued the lathi charge during the Kiang Nongbah Government College Students’ Union agitation but he apologised when we met him admitting that it was wrong on his part to do so.”
