SHILLONG: The Executive Committee (EC) of Bakur village has opposed the demand to suspend headman, secretary and the EC of the village stating that it is without any legal basis and based on false and concocted stories.
The residents had made the demand following the assault and tonsuring of a woman by the headman and secretary recently.
“The opposing group has mischievously highlighted the accusation of crime and has made it as a basis for their demand of suspension. It may be clarified herein that accusation of a crime does not in any way amount to actual proofs of involvement in a crime”, the EC said in a statement in response to a report regarding the matter.
According to the EC, it is the court that decides who is guilty after proper trial and on appreciation of evidence and after giving fair opportunity to both sides. The accusation of crime against the headman, secretary and other EC members of Bakur village are yet to be proven in the court of law and all of these functionaries are still innocent in the eyes of the law. “Equating these Dorbar Shnong’s functionaries as criminals even before their trial will be a travesty of justice”, the EC said.
According to the EC, the district council has not legislatively barred a person from continuing to hold the post of headman, secretary or other posts in the Dorbar Shnong merely on a FIR being filed against the person. Instances are galore where the headmen of other villages are having criminal cases but they continue to function and the allegations are fairly left to the wisdom of the court to be decided.
The EC said the headman of Bakur village is a law abiding citizen and has secured his bail in connection with the allegation from the court by following the procedure of law.
The statement said that there is an ulterior motive to dislodged the headman, secretary and the EC of Bakur village as they have tirelessly carried out various tasks for social good, including ban of illegal sale of alcohol in the village, prohibition of nuisance like being drunk and intoxicated, prohibition of trade with Bangladesh during the period of COVID-19 pandemic, strict enforcement of government protocols relating to COVID-19 and others which have caused loss to handful of people of the village but which has brought overall good to village.
“The vast majority of the residents of Bakur village are well aware of the good work of the EC and are supporting the present EC under the leadership of the headman”, the statement said. The EC added that the opposing group is in minority and it is finding it difficult to democratically remove the traditional body and hence they are embarking on an indirect route to remove them by propagating false and frivolous claims.