Mukul Sangma to visit site today, BJP calls for public hearing on March 22
Our Bureau
TURA/SHILLONG, March 20: The controversy surrounding the dismantling of a cenotaph in Lower Babupara, Tura, by the West Garo Hills district administration has escalated, with Leader of Opposition Mukul Sangma set to visit the site on Friday.
The cenotaph was built over 100 years ago in honour of the fallen heroes of the Garo community during the First World War.
The Mothers’ Union (MU) and various civil society organisations (CSOs) accused West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner Jagdish Chelani of misinformation after the DC assured the MU that the area was being renovated to allow for figurines of the Garo community.
The controversy started following an RTI received by the Garoland State Movement Committee (GSMC) from the Tura Municipal Board (TMB), where it clearly showed (along with blueprints) that a restaurant and parking space is set to come up after the cenotaph’s demolition.
On Wednesday, the MU and other CSOs including the GSMC visited the under-construction site and expressed their anger at the demolition of the cenotaph.
However, no official response to quell the situation has been forthcoming despite the gravity of the situation.
Some sources from the TMB tried to placate the situation by claiming that there were no plans to commercialise the area, though none of it came from official sources.
The matter is now expected to get even more heated with Mukul Sangma scheduled to pay a visit to the site tomorrow. He will, in all likelihood, be joined by various CSO groups.
BJP MDC from Tura, Bernard Marak, has called for an open public hearing on March 22 over the matter at the Tura District Auditorium.
He expressed outrage over the manner in which the cenotaph, which served as a solemn tribute to the Garo Labour Corps, was demolished under the pretext of renovation without due consultation with the rightful stakeholders.
He also urged citizens to take a stand, calling for widespread public participation and seeking accountability and a just resolution for the restoration of their heritage.
A Congress team from Garo Hills will also assemble at the cenotaph on Friday to protest its demolition. Tura Lok Sabha member, Saleng Sangma is desperately trying to even raise the issue in the Parliament.
He extended unconditional support to the Mother’s Union and other CSOs to hold the government accountable over its move, but expressed his inability to join them physically owing to the ongoing Parliament session.
AICC joint secretary Mathew Antony and MPCC general secretary Sanjay Das said that the local authority should have obtained clearance from the Geological, Archeological and the Heritage departments before the demolition of the century old War Memorial, as the originality and priceless value of the cenotaph has been completely destroyed.