By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Nov 1: The FKJGP on Friday accused the NPP-led MDA Government of resorting to delay tactics by reopening the road from Iew Mawlong to Bimola Junction instead of relocating the illegal settlers from the area.
“We are against this order to reopen the road since we suspect that the government is trying to buy time on the relocation exercise,” FKJGP vice president Kitboklang Nongphlang said.
According to him, they have patiently waited for the state government to relocate the residents for more than six years since June 2018 after the government closed the road following a clash between Khasi youths and illegal settlers in the area.
The FKJGP vice president said they can never forget how the illegal settlers assaulted and robbed people and even molested Khasi women and girls who were passing through the area.
“We have witnessed how the government protected these illegal settlers since the police failed to take any action even after receiving several complaints,” Nongphlang said.
He also pointed out cases of seizure of drugs in the area even after the road was closed.
The FKJGP vice president also expressed strong reservation against the order issued by the East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner on October 30 where she mentioned the word “Punjabi Lane” instead of “Them Iew Mawlong”.
“We would like to question the state government if the mention of the word Punjabi Lane is an indication that the government is trying to prove that the land at Them Iew Mawlong belongs to the illegal settlers,” he said.
The FKJGP president also refused to accept the argument that the road was being reopened to ease the traffic congestion in Iew Mawlong.
“We suspect that it is just an excuse since the truth is that the government is not serious about relocating the illegal settlers only to serve their vote bank politics,” Nongphlang said.
He called on the 36 MLAs from Khasi-Jaintia Hills to come together and pressurise the government to relocate the residents of the colony.
“There should be no division among political leaders on issues concerning the interests of the indigenous population,” the FKJGP vice president added.