SHILLONG, July 27: A day after fracas broke out at Ionkhuli village along the Meghalaya-Assam border in Ri Bhoi, the United Democratic Party (UDP) has asserted that the Meghalaya government needs to take a relook at its priorities even as it emphasised that defending the territorial integrity should be number one on that list of priorities.
“The creation of more districts and civil subdivisions is not a priority at all. Defending the state territorial integrity should be the number priority of the government,” UDP working president Paul Lyngdoh said on Tuesday.
He pointed out that if the government is facing crisis of resources, then it should not create any more new districts or civil subdivisions.
The UDP leader recalled that he had raised the issue during the meeting of the UDP top brass on the need to create border police battalion for protecting the state.
Informing that the party had already petitioned Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma apprising him about the need to establish the border police, Lyngdoh has suggested the creation of two border police battalions before Meghalaya turns 50.
The UDP working president has maintained that the need to bifurcate the joint cadre has become even more pronounced.
Elucidating further on his point, he said that it is observed that majority of the senior IPS officers are with Assam while the junior IPS officers are attached with Meghalaya.
“Personally, I feel that this is a major compromise for the state of Meghalaya,” Lyngdoh said.
Informing that Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) have the jurisdiction to establish district police unit, Paul Lyngdoh, who is the Executive Member in charge of Town Committees, Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC), pointed out that in the case of the JHADC, such powers vested to them have been utilised and the Council has even passed an Act, while in the KHADC, there is only a Bill.
“There is a need to give effect to these Bills for creation of district police by the KHADC and the other ADCs in the state,” Paul asserted.
Moreover, he said that majority of the Syiem Raid and Rangbah Shnong along the border belt including Iongkhuli village are becoming ‘land agents’, while alleging that most of them are misusing their position in order to sell off the land to people from Assam.
“The Executive Committees in the ADCs must immediately summon the village Syiem Raid and Rangbah Shnong along the border belt to ensure that our territories are well protected,” Lyngdoh added.
Zenith’s contention
On the other hand, Opposition Congress Spokesperson Zenith Sangma has questioned the state machinery including the top officials of Ri Bhoi in regards with the incident at Ionkhuli village.
Zenith stated that local MDC Charles Marngar rushed immediately to the spot after being informed by the locals but other officials, despite being informed early, allegedly put off addressing the issue.
“…but the SP, Ri Bhoi, although being informed at 11:30 am, he reached after 4 PM only. Immediately after getting the information, the MDC informed Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong but till the last there was no action or further information and when the MDC contacted him again his call was not attended to. This is the state of affairs in our state under the present government. We don’t know what their priority is,” Zenith, who also condemned the alleged highhandedness displayed by the Assam Police at Iongkhuli, said.
It may be mentioned that a posse of Assam Police led by magistrates from Kamrup on Monday forcefully removed electric posts at Iongkhuli under Raid Marwet in Ri Bhoi. Locals registered stiff opposition which later resulted in a commotion.
