TURA: Combined organizations from Garo Hills under the banner of the All Garo Hills Joint action Committee (AGHJAC) have decided to call a night road blockade from 8 pm to 4 am on January 18 to protest the move by the centre government to pass controversial Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB).
The decision comes following the Sit in demonstration staged by the organizations on Wednesday in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s Office in Tura to show their strong opposition to the move by the BJP led NDA Government forcefully passing the bill in the Lok Sabha despite stiff opposition from the whole region.
Mid way through the demonstration around a dozen leaders belonging to different organizations met the Deputy Commissioner in his office chamber and handed over a memorandum to be forwarded to Chief Minister Conrad Sangma. In the memorandum the organizations demanded of Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma to immediately call for a special Assembly session and ventilate the demand of the people of the state to the Centre Government.
The AGHJAC while reiterating that it would never accept the bill at any cost demanded its complete withdrawal. “If the CAB is passed in the Rajya Sabha, there will be a threat in preserving the identity of the indigenous people of the region. It will also be add to the problem of influx of illegal migrants already being faced in the state,” the memo read.
Prominent among the organization leaders who attended the demonstration were GSMC Chairman, Nikman Ch Marak, Co-Chairman Balkarin Marak, leader of the GSMC from Garobadha Unit, Ryan Mathew Ch Marak, leader of GSU Northern Zone Walseng N Sangma, Vice President of AAYWS Salgrik B Marak, Eastern Zone GSU President Saljrang Tengrik Marak, GSMC leader from Baghmara Tarpin A Sangma, Vice President of GSU Interim Body Franky N Marak and other unit leaders of NGOs from different zones and districts of Garo Hills.
During the demonstration which began at around 11 am, protestors shouted slogans against the NDA Government for forcefully passing the bill and vowed that the combined organizations would never allow the bill to become an Act and oppose it tooth and nail. An effigy of Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi was also burnt by angry protestors at the site.