GUWAHATI: The Cachar district Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) has categorically denied making any statement before the media about the Morcha’s plan to withdraw the FIR registered against Khasi Students Union (KSU) president Lambokstar Marngar if the latter publicly apologised for the students union putting up ‘offensive’ banners and posters in Shillong recently.
Speaking to The Shillong Times over phone on Thursday, Cachar district BJYM president Amitesh Chakraborty categorically refuted the media reports about “conditional withdrawal” of the FIR against the KSU chief.
“The news which is circulating in a section of the media is their creation. I have never said that the FIR would be withdrawn if the KSU president publicly apologises for the posters put up by the union. Things will proceed according to law and that is the stand of the party,” Chakraborty said.
The district BJYM, which is the youth wing of BJP, had on October 23, lodged the complaint against the KSU president at Silchar Sadar police station after the union had put up banners saying, “all Bengalis in Meghalaya are Bangladeshis.”
In the complaint, Chakraborty has demanded strict action against the KSU chief “as per law” and that such incidents should never happen in future.
It may be mentioned that BJP MLA from South Shillong, Sanbor Shullai had requested Chakraborty to withdraw the FIR “in the best interest of the people, state and party”.
Shullai had also requested senior Assam minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to intervene and request the BJP youth wing leader to withdraw the FIR against the KSU chief.
Govt should act on FIR: SAFF
The Shillong All Faiths Forum (SAFF) has asked the state government to act on the FIR filed against the KSU president by the Cachar BJYM. “We understand that emotions are in flow but we hope that in due course of time, things will subside,” SAFF president Rev P Lyngdoh said on Thursday.
Making a clarion call for peace, the SAFF lamented that the Ichamati incident had roused communal tensions but they vehemently refuted allegations of religious discrimination in Meghalaya.
Speaking to reporters after holding a special meeting here, Rev Lyngdoh said, “Shillong has never experienced religious discord or discrimination so far. Such things have cropped up only recently”.
He said that the recent occurrences in the city had led to unpleasant feelings as different groups were hurling accusations against one another.
“It is an appeal to all people of the state, religious groups, NGOs and political parties not to succumb to hearsay on social media without knowing the truth. We appeal to the citizens to be calm and not take things
in their own hands as there are proper forums where such issues can be discussed and resolved”.
Commenting on the successful Durga puja celebrations in the state, Rev Lyngdoh said, “Hindus and other religious communities have expressed in clear terms that they have never experienced any religious discrimination in the state.”
Echoing Rev Lyngdoh, SAFF vice president, Naba Bhattacharjee said, “Durga Puja could not have happened without the support and cooperation of the indigenous communities and this has been the hallmark for decades. We should not fall into the trap of people from outside.”
Joint secretary, Noor Nongrum said that the media should also refrain from publishing news that incite communal violence.