From Our Correspondent
RONGJENG, July 24: Residents of the Mangsang area in East Garo Hills on Wednesday held a public rally in protest against the alleged illegal formation of the village’s Bazaar Committee.
The protest was led by various civil society organizations (CSOs), including the Garo Students’ Union (GSU), Federation of Khasi-Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP), and A’chik Holistic and Awakening Movement (AHAM), along with the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the village and local shopkeepers.
According to the locals, the illegal appointment of the committee comes despite their representation sent to the local MDC, Henendro R Sangma, not once but times, despite which no approval was provided. “We have held three committee meetings just to ensure the people that cared for the welfare of the local businessmen were appointed. Despite us meeting the MDC three times for this, he refused to approve our elected members. Instead, against all our wishes, the MDC appointed NPP members to run the committee,” said GSU president, Barnawell R Sangma.
“This is not a dictatorship that the MDC will go against the wishes of the people. India is the largest democracy and people have the right to choose those they want. When we have been asking for our own to take the Bazaar forward, who is the MDC to go against our wishes,” said FKJGP president, George D Sangma.
Thousands of villagers participated in the rally, expressing their anger at the MDC’s actions.
“What the MDC has done is approved members of the NPP party to run the committee and collect money. This is ethically wrong and we will not allow it. Today the NPP is the ruling party, tomorrow it could be Congress, TMC or BJP. What if they follow a similar pattern and do the same thing. This is setting a very bad precedent,” added George.
The protesters have decided not to allow the NPP-led committee to run and asserted that they would take up the matter with higher authorities.
Meanwhile, things came to a boil last week during Bazaar day when the NPP committee members reached the market to collect money from those gathered. They were chased by the people of the bazaar before seeking shelter in the nearby police station. No cases have been registered in the matter.
During the meeting, angry locals also torched the effigy of the MDC before taking out a rally to protest the move of the MDC to force his will on the people.
“We are not against any political party but the will of the people has to be respected. We will not allow such a forced committee to run our small bazaar,” said Sebiush R Marak, president of the JAC.