SHILLONG, Nov 1: Chaos and panic reigned supreme on the streets of Shillong on Tuesday when five pressure groups under the banner of “Save Hynniewtrep Mission” flagrantly violated prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC to stage a protest highlighting a nine-point charter of demands.
The gathering of members of the Hynniewtrep A’chik National Movement (HANM), Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC), East Jaintia National Council (EJNC), Jaintia Students’ Movement (JSM) and Confederation of Ri-Bhoi People (CoRP) near the offices of the DC and the SP brought back haunting memories of the mayhem on October 28 when masked miscreants went on a rampage assaulting innocent bystanders and vandalising vehicles and shops.
Only this time, the police and the district administration were better prepared to handle any eventuality.
The pressure groups gathered at the two locations and started chanting anti-MDA Government slogans and their demands. They could not proceed further due to the heavy security bandobast.
Officers, including an SP and magistrates, were on the ground to prevent any untoward incident.
While it was not a surprise protest, it caught many unawares. Given Friday’s violence during the rally against unemployment, the residents were concerned about the safety and well-being of their near and dear ones, who were in schools, colleges, offices, marketplaces, business establishments etc. Shops downed their shutter at many places.
When some leaders of the groups met Home Minister Lahkmen Rymbui, the other protestors continued with their slogans at the two junctions. “They wanted to meet the Chief Minister or the Deputy Chief Minister to remind them of issues such as the implementation of the Inner Line Permit, inclusion of the Khasi language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, unemployment etc. I tried to explain whatever I could,” Rymbui said.
He said he had made it amply clear to the protesting groups that their actions should be within the ambit of the law or otherwise, the administration will intervene.
Asked if the protest was not in violation of the prohibitory orders, the minister said they came, met him and walked away.
After the meeting with Rymbui was over, the protestors went back marching to the junction near KJP Assembly amid tight security. The leaders of the five pressure groups addressed the gathering here.
They vowed to intensify their agitation to press for unfulfilled demands such as the implementation of the Inner Line Permit (ILP) and the inclusion of the Khasi language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.
“We have informed him about the launch of the mission and a series of agitations later,” HYC general secretary Roy Kupar Synrem said after meeting Rymbui.
He said the authorities have been told that surprise agitations will keep on happening in Shillong and every place Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma and Deputy CM Prestone Tynsong visits for a party meeting or an official programme. “Our members and volunteers will go to those places asking questions and reminding them of the fate of our nine-point charter of demands,” he said.
Apart from (1) ILP and the (2) recognition of the Khasi language, their demands also include (3) the review of the interstate border pact (MoU) with Assam, (4) the relocation of the government employees and eviction of illegal settlers from Them Iew Mawlong, (5) review and revamp of the ‘outdated’ State Reservation Policy, (6) CBI or judicial probe into the cases of corruption in the state, (7) a CBI probe and trial by fast-track court and punishment for police personnel involved in the killing of Cheristerfield Thangkhiew, (8) filling up vacant posts in the government departments through a fair and transparent process and (9) the immediate repeal of the Meghalaya Regulation of Gambling Act, 2021.
Asked if there was any assurance from the Home minister, Synrem said: “He has no power to give us any assurance. He has already told us it is under the Political Department and beyond his jurisdiction.”
He said the minister was informed about the mission so that he can convey the message to those who can take decisions.
Regarding the violation of prohibitory orders, he said, “The Supreme Court has time and again stated that you cannot implement laws in order to keep people from protesting from showing and exercising their right. It is the government’s ploy to not let people hit the streets and voice dissent.”
“We will not be bound by any order or law imposed by the district magistrate,” he asserted.
Synrem said the police stopped and sent back most of the members associated with the mission at Jaintia Hills, Upper Shillong and Ri-Bhoi. The number of protesters would have been much more otherwise, he added.
He said the first phase of agitation will continue until the model code of conduct for the 2023 Assembly polls comes into effect.
He was quick to claim the mission was not affiliated with any political party. “We are concerned with issues that affect our people and need to be implemented as soon as possible,” he said.
Synrem said Tuesday’s agitation was organised because Tynsong had called upon the NGOs to thrash out issues in the Secretariat and not beat people on the streets. Members of the five organisations accordingly marched toward the Secretariat to enquire about the status of their demands. “On one hand the Deputy CM calls us for a discussion while on the other, the district administration promulgates Section 144 to not allow us to march toward the Secretariat and meet our representatives,” he said, wondering if this was a ploy to “strengthen their own party” and derive political mileage.
Surprisingly, there was no word from either the district administration of the police on what action would be initiated against the five pressure groups for violation of the prohibitory orders issued by the District Magistrate.
