Govt slammed for failing to shift Harijan Colony

SHILLONG, Sep 20: Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) president, Lambokstar Marngar on Monday slammed the state government for failing to shift the Harijan Colony at Iew Mawlong even after constituting the High Level Committee (HLC) to examine the matter.
“I want to ask the Ministers heading the HLC on its status. We expect results since it has been more than three years that the HLC was constituted to make recommendations on the shifting of the Them Metor (Harijan Colony),” Marngar said at Monday’s sit-in-demonstration, organised by a faction of the Ka Sur Ki Nong Mawlai at the Civil Hospital junction.
He said they were hopeful the government would fulfil the promise since a number of people were injured during the Harijan Colony incident of 2018.
He said KSU, Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People, Hynniewtrep National Youth Front and Ri Bhoi Youth Federation will mount pressure on the government to spell out why no action was taken on the matter.
Meanwhile, Marngar said they will meet soon to discuss their future course of actions over the Centre’s failure to grant the Inner Line Permit (ILP) to Meghalaya. “We will resume our agitation since the COVID-19 situation has improved,” the KSU president said. Lambasting the Centre for failing to respond to the state’s resolution on the ILP and the inclusion of the Khasi language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, he said such an attitude clearly shows the Centre is not bothered about the genuine demands of the people of the state.
“What was most disheartening was that Union Home Minister, Amit Shah did not utter a single word on the ILP demand when we had met him during his recent visit to Shillong,” Marngar said.
He said they will pursue all pending demands and not hesitate to intensify the agitations.