TURA: The Garo Students’ Union (GSU) from Shillong has strongly condemned the statement by Rajabala MLA, Dr Azad Zaman justifying his damnd for a separate district in West Garo Hills with its headquartersat Rajpur.
“The demand is clearly against the wishes and the sentiments of the Garo people. We cannot let Garo Hills be further divided into fragments (not even an inch). The demand for Dadenggre Civil Sub-Division as a district has already been done to ease the distance and the functioning of the administration. We would like to urge the government to take necessary steps for the upgradation of Dadenggre Civil-sub-division into a District which is long pending demand by the people of Dadenggre area,” it said.
The union also urged the government to let the police department and NGOs conduct a proper checking drive to find out who are the genuine residents of the plain belt areas as the Garo community have already become minority in areas like Rajabala, Phulbari, Bhaitbari and Chibinang and no preventive steps are being taken to address the issue.
“During this time of crisis when the whole world is fighting against the pandemic Corona virus, the legislator is busy demanding a district and trying to divide the people. He should know that we will not let Garo Hills be divided further into more fragments. We area peace loving people and don’t want any conflict but it seems that the legislator is trying to usher in communal conflict,” the union said.
Earlier, the A’chik Holistic Awakening Movement (AHAM) in Garo Hills had also taken strong exception to the demand by the MLA and condemned him for it.