SHILLONG: Four prominent organisations have asked the state government, the police department and district councils to take action against three persons who the organisations brand as “Hindu fanatics” for “tarnishing” the image of the state through a presentation submitted recently to Governor Satya Pal Malik.
In a joint statement issued here, the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU), Hynniewtrep National Youth Front (HNYF), Ri Bhoi Youth Federation (RBYF) and Federation of Khasi Jaintia Garo People (FKJGP) claimed that Prantush Sarkar, Mridul Das and Vinayak Roy had painted the state of Meghalaya in “communal shades” in their presentation to the Governor.
The trio had met the Governor on Thursday to submit the presentation alleging that Hindus in Meghalaya were denied EPIC, PAN cards, birth certificates and all other related documents related to Indian citizenship.
Commenting on the allegation, the organisations said, “This statement is tarnishing the image of the government of Meghalaya as a culprit of religious persecution. On the contrary, all non tribals are availing EPICs, birth certificates and ration cards without any discrimination by the government establishment and zero interference from NGOs if they can prove themselves as Indian citizens”.
They also claimed that Sarkar, Das and Roy were engaged in limestone businesses in Ichamati with habitual benami transactions, which incurred revenue loss to the state. “Such people are bound to be allergic to trading licences and district councils which issue such licences and they blame the NGOs as communal because we at times enforce the implementation of law, which is the Regulation of Trade by Non-Tribals,” the organisations said.
Terming the three as “Hindu fanatics”, the organisations said the presentation to the Governor has tarnished the image of various Christian sects in the state “in a way as if the entire state machinery is Christianised and organised to perpetuate communal discrimination against Hindus of the state.”
The organisations further claimed that the three persons have also accused the police machinery to be in tandem with religious persecution, for which the police department must take stern action.
“They have even accused the courts in Meghalaya to be part of religious persecution along with the district councils and police department. We feel the courts of Meghalaya must take appropriate steps (against the trio) for tarnishing the image of the judiciary”, the organisations stated.
The organisations said they have never been communal in their thoughts and actions and that they have always wanted to preserve, protect and promote the rights and interests of the minuscule tribal community in the country.
They further said that in the pursuit of ideals, they try not to identify religion as a point of conflict. But their concerns are issues related to identity which they feel are sanctioned in the social, economic and political rights of indigenous people of the state.