By HH Mohrmen
The beginning of the state’s next 50 years journey to reach its centennial milestone does not look good at all. The experience in first few weeks after Meghalaya celebrated its golden jubilee year with pomp and gaiety, have been unparalleled. The incidents had unfortunately showed the state and particularly the law and order situation in a bad light. If the first few weeks are indications of what will happen in the next fifty years, then the future of the state is not as rosy as it has been painted.
Protest against atrocities on a section of the
population
Immediately after the state celebrated a half century of its existence, two senior citizens of the state had to hit the street to voice their concerns against the attacks on a section of the population. The attacks which happened on a regular basis are a cause of concern for all right-minded people in the state. The atrocities on these people are serious crimes, but the failure of the police to apprehend the criminals involved in the many crimes is a matter of shame for the law enforcing machinery in the state. The attacks are not new; in fact even the Deputy Chief Minister of the present government has testified in a video which is available online that he too used to indulge in this kind of illegal activities during his college days. Though the minister later expressed regret about his unsavoury past but the question whether we are learning any lessons from the protest?
Enough is enough
The protest was an expression to call a spade a spade and to stop remaining bystanders as the attacks on the community continues unabated. The courage of the elderly couple to assert their right to protest against the atrocities is history in the making for the minority community in the state. It is their way of saying that this cannot be tolerated anymore and they are compelled to use their rights as guaranteed by the Constitution to voice their concern about the deteriorating law and order situation in the state. The state government should first and foremost accept that the law and order machinery in the state has failed. Otherwise how else would criminals be able to attack and intimidate people and at the same time roam freely without the police being able to apprehend them?
Bomb blast in the
heart of the city
The bomb blast in the heart of the city has only proven how weak and ineffective the police system in the state is. The government may claim that the force has done a good job and they have been able to immediately arrest the perpetrators of the crime, but the fact remains that the crime has already been committed. The expectation of the people is for the police to be able to prevent such incidents from happening anywhere in the state. Thank goodness that the blast happened on Sunday evening where there were not many shoppers in the market. Imagine the casualty that it would have caused if the blast was triggered on a week day.
Morale of the police
in the state
It is very unfortunate that the police force has never been able to earn that much respect from the public anyway. This sorry state of affairs deteriorates when police are used by the state government to collect money from trucks transporting coal from the state. There are not less than 10 police stations, and outposts, (supposedly) dacoity camps or temporary posts on this less than 200 kilometers stretch of highway from Umiam to Malidor where police are on 24×7 duty. Anyone who thinks that this illegal collection can happen without the knowledge of the government is living in a fool’s paradise. In fact one does not need to travel far to see what the police are doing on the highway. A trip from Umiam on the Shillong bypass to Khliehriat (preferably during the night) will help confirm that the government is responsible for engaging the police in this illegal activity. This government and the government before it are responsible for downgrading the morale of the police force in the state, and it is also fair to say that the MDA government has climbed one bar higher than its predecessor.
When armed police were easily over-powered by unarmed youth
The image that will remain in the public psyche for many years to come is that of the youth in Mawlai on the day of the funeral of the former militant, Cherister Thangkhiew. The short video clips of young men who had masked themselves, driving a black SUV they hijacked and brandishing AK 47 they had stolen from the Police which went viral should at least give the Head of the Police Force (DGP) many sleepless nights. That was the day when it was clear that the police have failed the people of the state. This particular day should be considered as a Black Day for the Meghalaya Police because their weakness and inefficiency has been exposed in broad daylight. That the armed police was over-powered by a bunch of unarmed young kids is a matter of shame for the police in the state. The Head of the Police Force and the top rung in the police leadership should bow their heads in shame because incidents like this can happen in the State capital when the law and order situation is already very volatile.
HNLC gaining ground
The immediate aftermath of the killing of the surrendered militant is what led to the HNLC gaining popularity amongst a certain section of the population. Not only support for the organization has increased but it was alleged that numbers of young people joining the militant group has grown. The police or the home department is therefore to be blamed for creating the prevailing situation in the state which only favours the militant outfit.
HNLC stooping low
In the history of the HNLC this is the first time that the organization is found to enroll under-aged persons into its fold. The conscience of the Organization is obvious not in the right place when it was compelled to even engage juveniles in their nefarious activities. If one is to take the police version of the story the young man is also the area commander of the region. This implies that either the HNLC does not have many senior cadres left at its disposal that it has to entrust even an important role to an juvenile or maybe all the cadres that the Council now has are new recruits recently enlisted after the Mawlai incident. If the latter is true then the State has much to worry about because we don’t know how many new recruits the organization had been able to enroll recently.
Half-hearted
Home Minister
The unfavourable law and order situation in the state is also because the Home Minister is functioning half-heartedly. It may be reminded that after the killing of the former HNLC chairman Chesterfield Khongwir, the home minister had tendered his resignation as the minister in charge of Home Department to the Chief Minister. Lahkmen Rymbui has not withdrawn his resignation letter hence the situation we have in the state now is of a Home Minister who has one foot in and the other out of this very important department. And because of this one sporadic case of a juvenile who went astray, the Home Minister instead of accepting responsibility is busy lecturing parenting techniques to the parents in the entire State.
Enough Police on the highway but not on the streets
If one would asks why there is no police patrol in cities or towns in the State, the response will be that the Department does not have enough man power. The police failed because they don’t see policing the streets as important anymore. The question is – when did we last see the police patrolling the streets in our neighbourhood? Except for traffic police who man the traffic in town and cities, there are no police on the streets to provide the much needed security to the people. The question is how come we have enough police to man the many locations along the highway, whereas we are told that there is not enough police to do the real policing work?
Law and order is
the way to peace
If the State is to develop the important steps that need to be taken in its next fifty years journey is to ensure that peace prevails. Hence the Police and the Home Department in general have a vital role to play in ensuring that the State remains peaceful in the future.
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