HANM springs surprises with protest outside Secretariat

SHILLONG, July 4: Officials of the Secretariat and security forces were caught unawares when members of the Hynniewtrep A’chik National Movement (HANM) on Monday staged a sudden protest near the entrance gate of the Secretariat to extend support to the agitating ad hoc teachers.
The HANM members came down heavily on the NPP-led MDA government for its failure to resolve the long-pending demands like implementation of the inner-line permit (ILP) and resolution of the interstate border dispute with Assam.
Initially refusing to budge, the HANM members finally agreed to disperse on the request of FASTOM spokesperson Mayborn Lyngdoh but not before submitting a memorandum to Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma.
The memorandum stated that though the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly had adopted a resolution on implementation of ILP and another on inclusion of Khasi and Garo languages in the Eighth Schedule, but there was no progress in sight.
On the interstate border dispute, the pressure group said in the process of resolving the dispute the state government has to ensure that land belonging to Meghalaya does not go to Assam.
In addition, the HANM also asked the government to speed up the process of relocation of illegal settlers from Harijan Colony without getting influenced by people from outside.
Reacting to the unannounced protest by HANM, the CM recalled that the Assembly had passed resolutions for implementation of ILP as well as inclusion of Khasi and Garo languages in the Eighth Schedule.
“Be it ILP or the Eighth Schedule, these require a lot of pushing and lobbying and are beyond the control of the Meghalaya government. We have done our part by passing the resolutions in the Assembly,” he said.
On the border dispute with Assam, the CM said the MDA government was the first one to go to the ground and come to a conclusion with Assam.