Union says it has taken up issues since 1979 to safeguard and protect the interest of the Khasis due to the failure of the political leaders
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, March 22: The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) on Saturday blamed political leaders of Meghalaya for failing to protect the interests of the Khasi indigenous community, forcing the union to spearhead a campaign towards this end since 1979.
Addressing a gathering during the KSU NEIAH fresher’s meet cum felicitation ceremony for students who finished their BHMS and BAMS at the North Eastern Institute of Ayurveda & Homoeopathy (NEIAH), KSU general secretary Donald V Thabah stated that KSU has always taken the lead in defending the rights of the indigenous tribes, whether the issue is one of land alienation, safety, or maintaining the state’s demographic structure.
According to him, KSU was also at the forefront of the campaign against illegal immigration and influx in the state.
He noted that the students’ body has also begun to address socially relevant issues, such as offering relief during natural disasters, among other things.
Thabah claimed that the union has always placed a high priority on education since it recognises its importance in the development of the indigenous people in a variety of disciplines.
He remembered that during its early years, the KSU was concentrating on matters pertaining to the student community.
He claimed that since colleges and universities only offered dorm accommodations to students from outside the state, KSU would intervene when students from remote locations encountered difficulties.
He stated that one of the main concerns that KSU addressed in its early years was post-matric scholarships because the government had decided to only offer scholarships to two students from a single family.
He claimed that because many students are from the economically disadvantaged group and the Khasi indigenous tribe is still backward, the student body had opposed this decision.
The general secretary of KSU, meantime, stated that the university has established units both inside and outside of the state, including in the Tamenlong area of Manipur, the Barak Valley in Assam, and Vairangte in Mizoram.
Thabah also disclosed that the KSU Delhi and Bengaluru unit members had even made an effort to assist local from Meghalaya who work in these two important cities.
“We discovered that numerous organisations lure our local tribesmen outside with the promise of decent employment. However, a lot of people were duped because they were not given the jobs that they had been promised,” he continued.
A total of 26 students who finished their BAMS and BHMS were honoured on the occasion.
The programme was attended by NEHUSU president Sandy Sohtun, KSU NEHU unit president Shibaitlang Rymbai, NEIAH Deputy Director Dr. A Wanshai Shynret, and KSU education secretary Pynkmenlang Sanmiet, among others.