Indigenous youths are not militants: KSU warns govt

SHILLONG, Nov 18: The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) condemned the state government and the Police department for harassing local youths and acting against them as if they were members of militant groups.
The state government and the police have been framing and accusing local youths without any evidence, the KSU said while warning the state government to stop harassing the youth. “Otherwise it would lead to a situation where they will no longer be able to hide their frustration and anger,” said a joint statement issued by the KSU Mawlai and Nongthymmai circles on Friday.
The KSU Mawlai Circle president Biangbor L Paliar and Nongthymmai Circle president Eric Nongkynrih said that the police action was “adding fuel to fire” since they had arrested and treated KSU members like militants.
They also condemned the arrest of their members on false charges of being involved in the violence during the public rally on unemployment organised by the FKJGP on October 28.
“We have a question for the government: Are you serious about the various demands made in the interest of the local indigenous population or are you are happy to torture the local indigenous youth,” they said.
“There is an attempt to exaggerate a minor incident and this is clearly an attempt on the part of the government to silence the voice of discontent among the youth. The police did nothing when local youths were assaulted by non-indigenous people. Is the law only meant for the Khasis,” they questioned.
They also warned that if the government continued with the same attitude then “winter would be transformed into summer and the government would be held responsible for the same”.