GH groups call two-day stir in effort to oust GHADC CEM

TURA, Feb 2: After a two-day pen down by employees of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC), various pressure groups of Garo Hills have now called for a two-day Non Cooperation Movement (NCM) in the region from Thursday to seek the ouster of newly-appointed CEM, Rakesh A Sangma.
The NCM will begin at 5am and end at 5pm on each of the two days. The protest has been called by the GSU, FKJGP, ADE, AYWO, FAF, NTDF, TSCF, GGU, NESO and NGEA who all have been seeking the ouster of Rakesh Sangma as the CEM.
The groups have stated that the CEM has mixed parentage with his mother belonging to the ‘Agitok’ clan while his father is from a non-Garo community. They have demanded that the CEM be changed and have promised to continue protesting until their mandate is achieved.
With the Garo community being matrilineal in nature, children take the clan of their mothers.
Interestingly there was literally no opposition to Sangma being made the Chairman of the GHADC – administratively the leader of the Council. However, protests began immediately after Benedic Marak, the former CEM was ousted and rumours of Rakesh being billed to the post started floating around.
The first phase of the protest began with GHADC employees undertaking a pen-down protest.
Meanwhile most district administrations of Garo Hills have ordered government employees to attend office over the two days of the protest with action to be taken against those that miss out. All BDOs and office heads have been asked to ensure attendance is provided.
Meanwhile, The West Garo Hills district administration has imposed an order under Section 144 CrPC on Wednesday, prohibiting the assembly of more than five persons at any time on the GHADC office premises.
The order also prohibits causing any obstruction or intimidation to movement of office vehicles or office goers, moving in to the areas mentioned with the intention of carrying out any kind of protest and carrying or concealing on person of any kind of weapon by any person or group of persons or organisations.
The order would not apply to armed force personnel or paramilitary personnel and other law enforcing agencies on lawful duty or deployment.