SHILLONG: The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) from South West Khasi Hills (SWKH) called for a protest march on January 24 to the Office of the Deputy Commissioner, South West Khasi Hills against the inaction of the district administration to withdraw letters written to traditional heads and land owners for acquisition of land for BSF Battalion Headquarters in Mawkyrwat.
President of the Union from SWKH, Forwardman Nongrem strongly opposed this move and the requested landowners to not sell their land to the BSF.
During a press meet here on Wednesday, he slammed the state government and the district administration for surreptitiously acquiring land to establish the BSF Battalion headquarters in the district. It is however, not revealed as to which part of Mawkyrwat the BSF Battalion will be establish.
The union alleged that the move of the state government suggested a collusion with the central government to mine uranium in the area with a proposed plan to safeguard it with the deployment of armed forces, i.e. the BSF.
Another reason cited by the union was that the BSF might engage in indiscriminate felling of trees as was done in areas of Nongtrai in which the union accused the BSF of cutting down betel-nut trees belonging to residents of Nongtrai village and using them to build a bridge to cross the Phlangkaruh river in Mawsynram Block, East Khasi Hills.
“Whether we get permission or not, we will go ahead with the protest march,” Nongrem said.