SHILLONG, March 29: The Meghalaya Pradesh Mahila Congress Committee has asked Home Minister, Lahkmen Rymbui to step down if he was incapable of ensuring the arrest of the culprits involved in the assault of three youths from Wahkaji at Golf Links here on March 21.
“If the Home Minister cannot ensure justice it would be prudent for him to step down and hand it over to someone who is capable of ensuring better responsibilities,” Mahila Congress state president, Joplyn Scott Shylla said in a statement on Monday.
Condemning the barbaric, violent and vicious assault by an unnamed group which led to the demise of Pherlangroi Myrthong, she said, “Such incidents tend to add fuel to fire and also lead to law and order breakdown. The Mahila Congress is of the view that the state police and its agencies should not let their guard down and make efforts to arrest the perpetrators of the heinous act.”
Shylla also questioned the inability of the state police in arresting the assailants and said, “Why it is taking so long for police to use its resources this time when the department would use it against pressure groups who take to the streets to fight for their rights.”
She also made a fervent appeal for peace and harmony and asked people to be vigilant and not allow the atmosphere to vitiate further till justice is done.
CoMSO blames govt, police for laxity
The Confederation of Meghalaya Social Organisations (CoMSO) has slammed the state government and the state police for not being proactive in arresting the perpetrators of the recent assault on youths from South West Khasi Hills at Golf Links, one of whom succumbed to his injuries on Sunday.
COMSO Secretary Roykupar Synrem on Monday said that when non-tribals are attacked, police and the government become proactive in arresting the suspects whereas attacks on tribals are not being addressed in the right earnest.
Citing an example, he said that when migrant workers were attacked in South West Khasi Hills, police personnel went from house to house and harassed the family members of an NGO but as far as the incident in Golf Links is concerned police have not been able to identify the suspects even after a week.
“This is hypocrisy on the part of the state government and the police,” he said, while asking the police to expedite its investigation and arrest the culprits at the earliest.