SHILLONG, March 15: The Assembly was in an uproar on Tuesday after MLAs flagged the purported highhandedness of defence authorities in Shillong and its adjoining regions, even as most of them called for having the defence forces off city limits and deployed at interstate boundary with Assam to protect the people in Meghalaya.
Raising a short duration discussion in the House, Nongkrem MLA Lambor Malngiang took strong cognizance of a notice on the wall at Laitkor Peak by Indian Air Force authorities which reads, “Trespassers will be shot.”
Lambor claimed that the notice has created a fear psychosis among the people.
He maintained that in rural areas, many people are uneducated and hence cannot comprehend what is written on such notices. If by mistake, they trespass, there is every chance that they will be shot by the defence authorities, he told the House.
Contrasting Meghalaya with Kashmir, the MLA charged the defence authorities with terrifying people with notices containing such dire warnings.
Joining in the discussion, Mawlai legislator PT Sawkmie said that such a notice is uncalled for, even as he urged the state government to immediately discuss the matter with the Indian Air Force.
Recalling an altercation that broke out between locals and 58 GTC personnel in Mawshbuit last year, Sawkmie said that the army can be put to better use in border areas for the safety of the people, basing this suggestion on the lines of Assam which used the army during the confrontation with Mizoram.
Speaking on the subject, East Shillong MLA Ampareen Lyngdoh said that civilians are not allowed to turn their car or even disembark in front of the DGAR office in Laitumkhrah.
Ampareen also said that she feels humiliated when army personnel question her whenever she goes to the area.
Raising an issue relevant to the discussion but concerning his constituency, Umroi MLA George B Lyngdoh said that boys playing cricket in an abandoned field near the Umroi Cantonment get threatened. It is very difficult to communicate with them in case a water pipe passing through their premises gets broken, he added.
Leader of Opposition, Mukul Sangma cast aspersions on the defence authorities over the signboard at Laitkor Peak stating that there are rules even during war to safeguard the lives of civilians but the notice put up there gives a different picture.
He also recalled that it was difficult to convince the defence authorities in Umroi to part with their land for the airport.
Stating that the defence authorities need to change their attitude and approach, the Opposition leader said that the defence authorities should engage with civilians by way of career counseling, youth activities etc.
Other MLAs like Charles Pyngrope and Adelbert Nongrum, who also participated in the discussion, were in favour of a discussion between the state government and defence authorities on the matter.
In response to the various MLAs’ concerns, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said that that there are defence authorities adhere to certain rules, adding that the matter cannot be resolved at the local level.
He, however, told the House that the matter pertaining to the notice at Laitkor and other instances of alleged highhandedness of defence personnel will be taken up with the Defence Ministry and higher officials so as to ensure that the security of the defence authorities is not compromised, and at the same time, inconveniences to the general people is reduced to bare minimum.
The CM also informed that he would call the MLAs of the areas where these issues prevail when a discussion with the loal defence authorities is held.
He also highlighted that the matter of the notice at Laitkor Peak was brought to the notice of the Deputy Commissioner of East Khasi Hills by the president of FKJGP, Upper Shillong Circle, in 2020. The DC had, accordingly, sought a clarification from the Commanding Officer, Headquarters Easter Air Command (Unit), in February, 2020.
In the clarification, it was stated that the Defence PRO had clarified the matter in the media by stating that “it is not a threat. It is warning and information, which is normal for all military establishments, which have closed compounds”.
“These signboards, which are as per existing guidelines, are displayed outside all Air Force installations to prevent trespassing and are without any prejudice to any particular region or state,” the PRO said
Citing the terror attacks in Pathankot and Sunjuwan and subsequent precautionary measures, the Defence PRO said that instructions were received from higher formations to put up posters outside Air Force stations which reads, “Trespassers will be shot” in English, Hindi and local languages to prevent people from trespassing.
After reading the PRO statement on the floor of the House, the CM said that residents of nearby villages were sensitised in advance via a security coordination meeting on November 25, 2019, with headmen of those villages and SHOs of the police stations in the vicinity.
At the meeting, the village heads were briefed about the consequences of trespassing into the camp area which would endanger the life of the trespasser. The SHOs had assured that they would hold further meetings with the villagers to apprise them about the consequence of trespassing.