TURA, Feb 20: The pressure groups in Garo Hills, protesting the elevation of Rakesh A Sangma as the Chief Executive Member (CEM), will meet the MDCs, representatives of the state government and the district administration on Monday to seek a solution to the current impasse in the functioning of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC).
After their four-day picket of the offices of the GHADC last week, the groups had announced they would continue with the same picket for the entire working week from Monday to Friday.
The Deputy Commissioner of West Garo Hills, Ram Singh has invited the FKJGP, GSU, ADE, AYWO, NESO, FAF, AHAM and NAS to a meeting to be held at the Circuit House, Tura on Monday.
“We will attend the meeting to listen to what the government and the administration have to say. However, we are not dropping the demand for Sangma’s ouster, no matter what transpires (at the meeting),” said Pritam Arengh, president of FKJGP, Garo Hills Zone.
The activities at the GHADC have come to a virtual standstill with the various NGOs taking out protests demanding the ouster of Sangma as the CEM.
The NGOs are claiming he has not lived the Garo way of life and as such, will not be able to lead the GHADC – an autonomous body meant for the tribe.
Earlier in the day, some organisations from South Garo Hills decided to organise a vehicle rally at Baghmara on Monday to demand the CEM’s ouster.
The rally, which will commence at 1pm from the Baghmara Government Higher Secondary School Playground, will pass through the thoroughfares of the town. The organisers requested people to participate in the programme.