SHILLONG/TURA/NONGSTOIN, May 24: May 23 was the day when the border-dwellers along the Assam-Meghalaya boundary areas were subjected to unlooked-for tribulations. All in all, the melancholic gloom continues to loom large with their sorry stories yet to tug at the heartstrings of the Meghalaya government.
Alleging a spate of assaults by the personnel of Assam Police on the border residents, pressure groups from Garo Hills have petitioned Chief Minister Conrad Sangma for security to the locals and compensation for the victims.
In a letter to chief minister, the pressure groups, viz. FKJGP, ADE, FAF and AYWO have flagged cases of alleged harassments meted out to the residents of Malangkona on May 23.
In the first instance, personnel of Assam Police on May 23 reportedly harassed the workers engaged in the construction of a community godown for storing utensils, chairs and tables at Salbari LP School-cum-Salbari Baptist Church. According to the groups, the Assam Police personnel told the workers “to stop the construction of the community godown on the pretext that no new development is allowed in the land as the land falls under dispute between the two states”.
“However, it may be mentioned that neither the MOU has been finalised as it still requires the assent of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) nor does any state have the power to overrule the individual’s/community’s right to property and the said land is owned by the villagers who are a group of individuals. The action of the Assam police can thus be deemed only as harassment to demoralise the resolve of the people of Mallangkona Salbari from desiring to join Meghalaya state rather than Assam,” the groups argued.
According to reports, the uncalled-for interference also triggered a war of words between the villagers and the police personnel.
The villagers had to later explain the purpose of the construction to Boko Police station officer-in-charge P Ch Nath along with CRPF personnel.
The second incident, on the other hand, took place at Mallangkona Garojan village during which, personnel of Assam Police, reportedly in an inebriated state, went on the rampage, injuring both men and women.
“…three jeep loads of Assam police came to the village allegedly drunk and physically assaulted the people of the place whereby injuring three women and six men. On further enquiry it is found that the Assam police came to the spot on complaint filed by some individual related to their personal matters however when inquiring on the issue the Assam police saw one elderly woman who was holding a ‘sickle’ as she was coming from her work in the paddy fields and assumed her as a threat and started physically beating her and when other villagers came to her rescue the Assam police started assaulting everybody indiscriminately,” the groups said in their letter to then chief minister.
The groups also informed the chief minister about another incident of high-handedness involving All Rabha Students’ Union and the Assam Police.
They said that a father-son due had gone to Duphdura Market to purchase cows.
Solen Sangma and his son Ranbel Marak, along with Rs 90,000 in cash and the five cows that they had purchased from the market, were detained reportedly by Assam Police in connivance of the All Rabha Students’ Union.
“It is imperative to be mentioned that the whereabouts of the father and son and their belongings is unknown to their families and all until the writing of this letter,” they said.
Alleging that Assam Government is strategically targeting the people and villages who are objecting to the recently signed interstate border MoU between Meghalaya and Assam, the groups said, “We understand that the Chief Minister of Meghalaya is adamant on not reviewing the MoU on his own accord and upon which the people will respond in due time. However, it will not be wrong on anybody’s part to expect a little empathy if not compassion towards the people who rightfully express dissent.”
The groups have, meanwhile, urged the chief minister to ensure that the construction of community godown at the Mallangkona Salbari LP School-cum-Mallangkona Baptist Church remains uninterrupted, compensation be provided to the victims of Mallangkona Garojan village and whereabouts of the father-son-duo, along with their belongings, be located and the two be safely brought back home.
Leader of Opp asks Conrad to meet Assam counterpart
Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition Mukul Sangma has asked Chief Minister Conrad Sangma to hold a meeting with his counterpart in Assam to ensure that such situations do not recur.
“The responsibility of both the state is to ensure that we do not create any situation wherein our citizens have reason to have a sense of insecurity,” Mukul said, referring to a video from Malang Salbari village where women are seen engaged in heated arguments with personnel of Assam Police.
“If you see in the visuals, you will see there is an abuse of human rights, and there is an intentional and deliberate attempt to infuse insecurity and fear among the tribal population,” he said.