By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP) president K.P. Pangniang has condemned the statement of the Harijan Panchayat Committee (HPC), who termed Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong’s request to shift from the Harijan Colony as a ‘polite threat’.
While supporting the government’s move to relocate the residents of Harijan Colony, he asserted that the people of the colony should gracefully accept the offer of the government.
In the wake of HPC statement that they reject the ‘polite threat’ of Tynsong, Pangniang told reporters, “It is a polite request not a polite threat. To say that we have harassed them does not arise because it is not their land which they call Harijan Colony.”
“It is not eviction but it is relocation. The government will accommodate them in a better place,” he said adding that the relocation will usher in the much needed de-congestion in the busy market place.
He added that the place can be beautified and shopping malls can be built besides improving other infrastructure facilities for commercial purposes.
“We are grateful that they have served the state but it is not right to claim the land that they are staying as their own. The government gave them the land and it is not harassment if the government asks them to relocate to a better place,” he said.
Commenting on settlers of Harijan Colony resisting the government’s offer to relocate, Pangniang said the people in Harijan Colony are involved in illegal activities prompting them to oppose relocation.
Stating that there are a few genuine settlers, he said, “If they are adamant, it will create an unpleasant atmosphere.”
No headman for colony
Pangniang, who had served as the KHADC Executive Member in charge of Elaka in 2014, said he had called the residents of
Harijan Colony for talks and told them not to use the designation of headman.
“As an Executive Member, I had given them a direction that nobody should claim to be headman. But nowadays, I am surprised to see that the term headman is used. I request the current Executive Committee of the KHADC to look into the matter and take necessary steps,” he said.
He had called them for a meeting in 2014 to discuss about the headman of the area.
He maintained that the headman cannot function since the area falls under the jurisdiction of the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution and it is illegal to appoint a headman.
