By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Sep 4: The Jaintia National Council (JNC) on Monday demanded the state government to take major steps to protect the Khasis and the Pnars residing in Assam.
Perturbed by the recent incident where the Khasi-Pnar villagers of Pahar line in Cachar district were allegedly harassed and forcibly evicted from the land they had owned for centuries, the organisation has urged the Meghalaya government to take up the matter with its Assam counterpart, a statement from the JNC said.
It may be mentioned that on August 30, the district administration and the forest department of Cachar allegedly damaged the land of the Khasi-Pnar villagers of the district and forcibly evicted them from their land.
‘Such misconduct manifests the misuse of law and moral values’ the JNC said in the statement.
Stating that the Khasi and Jaintia tribes have been residing on the land since the British rule, the organisation blamed the state government as it had failed to address the issue and to ensure the safety of the Khasi and the Pnar people and their lands.
Moreover, the organisation appealed to the government of Meghalaya that it should take the matter into consideration with the Central government.
The JNC also demanded the Government of Assam to be fair with the injustice act against the Khasi and Jaintia people who live under Assam territory.
