Ten held. Police file suo motu FIR. Tynsong warns group
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, July 26: In a significant breach of tourists’ safety, a group of Hynniewtrep National Youth Federation (HNYF) members prevented the movement of tourist vehicles from Assam and checked the travellers at Umtyngngar, a strategic location leading to Sohra, Mawlynnong and Dawki, the three top tourist destinations in Meghalaya.
Although police reached the spot and arrested 10 members of the pressure group, videos of the incident have gone viral across the region and the country, giving rise to fears of repercussions in Assam and other places.
Police have filed a suo motu FIR at Mawngap police station against the ten HNYF members for preventing Assam tourist vehicles from travelling to Sohra, Mawlynnong and Dawki while Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong warned the group not to cross the line.
“We have registered a suo motu FIR since the police themselves witnessed HNYF members detaining Assam tourist vehicles at Umtyngngar,” East Khasi Hills SP, Sylvester Nongtnger told reporters.
He said when police reached the spot, the HNYF members began arguing with the police officers and prevented them from discharging their duties.
Replying to a query, he said police reached the spot after receiving information that certain pressure group members, camping at Umtyngngar, were stopping vehicles coming from Assam and asking them to return back.
The East Khasi Hills SP said a team from Sohra led by the SDPO and OC of Sohra police station and another team from Shillong reached the spot and allowed all the tourist vehicles to move towards Dawki and Sohra.
Nongtnger said this was the first time members of any pressure group had stopped tourist vehicles from Assam from proceeding towards Sohra, Mawlynnong and Dawki.
He also informed that police personnel will be posted in strategic areas to ensure the safety of travellers. “We want the tourists to feel safe while travelling to the state,” the SP added.
Reacting to the arrest of ten of its members, the HNYF accused the Meghalaya government and the state police of “surrendering” before the Assam government and filing a suo motu FIR against them.
“I was informed that the state police had to act since they received complaints from senior bureaucrats and senior police officials of Assam. They will not dare to say a word whenever they receive a call from Assam,” HNYF president Sadon K Blah said.
Tynsong, who is also the Home Minister, condemned the group and asked it not to cross the line.
He admitted that the act of the pressure group members caught the government by surprise. He said the government did not expect such behaviour from them.
“Law has taken its course. We will not allow such things to happen again,” Tynsong said, adding that the members of the pressure groups should discuss any matter with the government to find a solution.
Commenting on the concern of the pressure groups about the delay in the implementation of MRSSA and ILP, he said the government has and will continue to follow up on the twin issues.
He said the issues do not fall within the authority of the state government. He, however, said the state government will keep mounting pressure on the Centre to implement ILP in Meghalaya.
Asked if the government is giving a free hand to the pressure groups and for which, the law of the land is not prevailing, Tynsong said the law of the land will prevail from now on. The law will take its course, he reiterated.
Terming the checking by HNYF as not fair, he asked if people from Meghalaya are prevented from visiting Assam tomorrow, how they will feel.
Stating that the implementation of MRSSA has taken place since 2016 except for the proposed amendments sent to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for approval, he said the government is in the process of holding consultations with the stakeholders on how to go about with the amendments following certain observations by the MHA. He added that the District Task Force is up and running.
According to Tynsong, under MRSSA, any person from outside cannot just come to Meghalaya and settle as a tenant. He said the person will be required to submit all details to the Dorbar Shnongs and the same will be subsequently shared with the police.
Stating that there could be some lapses in the implementation of the Act in letter and spirit, he said instructions have been issued to the Labour department to pull up its socks. He said the post of inspectors has been created in all Community & Rural Development blocks.
Tynsong also said that when the government passed the Act, the law of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council as regards the issuance of labour licenses became invalid.
“No group can ask for work permit or labour license issued by the District Council. The labour license will be only from the state government and the only authority to issue it is the Labour department,” Tynsong said.
He asked companies bringing labourers from outside to ensure that they process all the documentations of the labourers before they come and work in the state.
“My message is when you bring labourers, please make sure they have the necessary documents,” he said.
Meanwhile, in a related incident, the HNYF Thadlaskein Circle has asked non-tribal labourers in Jaintia Hills, especially those living and working in Thadlaskein C&RD Block without necessary documents, to leave the state and return to their home towns within three days, failing which the group threatened to forcibly evict them.
The pressure group also requested the Dorbar Shnongs, village authorities and contractors to work together to prevent the spread of non-tribal people who, the group claimed, have infiltrated the property of the local people.