SHILLONG: Turning to the contentious issue of Sweepers Lane (Them metor), the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) has asked the state government not to summon the local residents but summon the illegal settlers of Them Metor.
Irked at the action of the state police department who summoned common people and leaders of pressure groups over the Sweepers lane, the KSU president, Lambokstarwell Marngar in a press communiqué said, “Summon the illegal settlers of Them Metor because they started the conflict as they regularly flex their muscles against locals who walk through Them Metor.”
The union expressed surprise at the state government summoning the locals holding them responsible for the recent Sweepers Lane conflict.
“Summoning them is not the way to cool down the conflict but it will add fuel to fire. The state government should know that the demand to relocate the settlers is not an act of instigation but a form of public protest as they are disturbed over the regular harassment faced by them,” Marngar said.
Again, he said the communities from outside the state who visited the Sweepers Lane should also be summoned.
Reckoning that the action of the state government to summon the locals will lead to a flare up again if the state government does not understand the whole issue, Marngar said the government should direct the illegal settlers to leave the Sweepers Lane.
“It is not a tough task for the state government to issue order to leave the place,” he added.