SHILLONG, Dec 14: The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) on Wednesday reiterated its demand that the seven border outposts should be set up right next to the border outposts of Assam police to ensure the safety and security of the Khasi villagers residing along the interstate border.
“Our people will not feel safe if the border outposts are set up inside Meghalaya territory,” KSU president Lambokstarwell Marngar stated.
The KSU president observed that the state government needs to take a firm stand as it cannot surrender to the Assam government by setting up the border outposts inside Meghalaya.
He also said that it is the duty of the state government to provide protection to the people residing along the border.
Questioning the delay in setting up the border outposts, Marngar lamented that the government is yet to reach out to the members of the village Dorbar to discuss the location of the outposts.
Marngar also disclosed that they did not witness any Meghalaya police personnel at Mukroh village during their visit on Wednesday but found BSF personnel from Mawpat guarding the area.
“BSF personnel from Mawpat are deployed on both Meghalaya and Assam side,” Marngar said.
The Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) also expressed unhappiness with the tardy progress in initiating action against the perpetrators of the Mukroh incident.
“It seems that the state government reacts when something happens just to calm down the situation. They are not serious about pending issues –ILP, Khasi language and Them Metor (Harijan Colony),” HYC general secretary Roy Kupar Synrem said on Wednesday.
Recalling that the state government had registered a case at Nartiang police station and approached the Centre for a CBI inquiry, Synrem said, “Till date we have not seen any action on the ground. The perpetrators of the crime have neither been arrested nor stern action has been taken against them.”
The HYC also reiterated their opposition to railways in the state and maintained that they will continue to oppose the same until and unless a law like the ILP or something similar to it is in place.
“We understand the central government wants to connect all the state capitals with railways but we should have some protection and until and unless that protection is given we won’t be welcoming any railways into the state,” he said.
Asked about his views in allowing at least the goods train, he said, “We have made our stand clear, railway is railway whether goods or passenger train. Right now people hiding in the trucks are coming to the state so what will happen that time when goods trains start, hundreds of people will be coming along with the goods.”
