SHILLONG, Feb 4: Former cop and BJP’s candidate from North Shillong, M Kharkrang, on Saturday took a stand for Jaiaw flagging how the locality has been tagged as a place where non-Khasis are beaten but the locals strongly refute such a notion.
Kharkrang, who started his election campaign at the Khasi National Dorbar Hall, said, “Jaiaw has been tagged as a place to beat up non-tribals but you should be aware that the residents here don’t support that.”
It may be mentioned that multiple cases of violence towards non-Khasis have been reported over the years from Jaiaw which falls under North Shillong constituency. One in recent memory is the incident from June last year wherein two youths from Kerala were reportedly assaulted by a group of bikers at Jaiaw Pdeng locality.
Kharkrang rued the lack of deliberation on important subjects such as employment, while also flagging the issue of traffic in Shillong which, according to him, is only taken up during the Assembly session while there is no follow-up action.
Recalling how he would be asked the same questions during every Assembly session during his days as the SP of Shillong, he said, “I would ask my PA to copy and paste (the answers to the questions) and make few changes because it would just be the same thing which they keep on asking again and again.”
Talking about the apprehensions associated with the BJP that beef may be banned in the state and churches closed down, Khahrkrang said he would be the first to oppose such a move, if that happened.
On the other hand, Kharkrang invited his political rivals for a public debate to brainstorm on the plans for the constituency.
