SHILLONG, Nov 1: The residents of Harijan Colony or Punjabi Lane have rejected the Meghalaya government’s act of taking possession of their land and declared they would rather die in their homes than be evicted forcibly.
This decision was taken by the members of the Harijan Panchayat Committee (HPC) and followers of the Gurdwara Guru Nanak Darbar, a Hindu temple and the Church of North India in the colony.
The residents, “disturbed” by the development, had been discussing the ramifications of the government’s manoeuvres since Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said two days ago that Rs 2 crore was paid to the Syiem of Mylliem to hand over the colony land to the Urban Affairs Department for beautification.
At a marathon meeting of its general body on Sunday, the HPC passed several resolutions to socially, legally, religiously and politically challenge the intentions of the state government. The meeting was presided over by Gurjit Singh, Pastor Himanshu and Pirthi Das.
“We have examined the latest developments and decided to give sleepless nights to the government. The assurances of the government cut no ice. They are full of loopholes and obfuscation of facts and figures. This is a fight for our survival and habitat and we will spare no effort to win this battle of honour, dignity and legitimate rights,” Singh, the HPC secretary said.
Setting the tone for their anger and angst against the government, the residents resolved that the tripartite agreement among the state government, the acting Syiem of Hima Mylliem and the Shillong Municipal Board was “patently illegal, mala fide and a clear violation of the constitutional and fundamental rights of the residents of Punjabi Lane, whose forefathers came here some 200 years ago and served Meghalaya honestly and diligently undertaking” manual scavenging and other menial tasks.
“It is ironic that instead of acknowledging the work of our people, the thankless government of Meghalaya and some groups are hell-bent on throwing us out without taking our opinion and forcing its policy merely because the area now falls in a central part of the city,’’ Singh said.
The three chiefs of the religious institutions – gurdwara, temple and church – also decided to seek the Meghalaya Governor’s intervention against the “vicious, blasphemous” move to demolish the places of worship.
Singh told some reporters that the Punjabi Lane residents are in a strong position legally. “We have no doubt whatsoever that the status quo ordered by the High Court of Meghalaya has been violated by the government. When challenged, the courts will strike down the government’s move taken under extraneous pressure and for political considerations,” he said.
He said the Punjabi Lane residents have approached the National Commission for Minorities, the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, National Commission for Safai Karamcharis and the National Human Rights Commission. “We hope their members will come to Shillong to listen to our grievances,” Singh said.
Meanwhile, the Sikh Sangat of Gurdwara Guru Nanak Darbar will soon start round-the-clock religious prayers for divine help in this hour of crisis.