SHILLONG, Sept 18:The tourist taxi row escalated dramatically on Thursday when protestors at Jorabat attempted to block the vehicle of former Education Minister and NPP legislator Rakkam A Sangma, forcing him to rely on Assam police to proceed towards Garo Hills.
A large crowd of protestors from the Assam side stopped his vehicle, shouting slogans demanding that he go back to Meghalaya.
Rakkam later shared a video of the confrontation, where angry protestors could be seen waving and gesturing for his vehicle to turn back.
“Even my vehicle not allowed to proceed. Somehow managed by Assam police,” said Rakkam, confirming that he barely managed to pass through the blockade.
The incident comes in the middle of the agitation launched by the All Khasi Meghalaya Tourist Taxi Association (AKMTTA), which has been pressing for a ban on Assam tourist taxis ferrying visitors to Meghalaya’s popular destinations. The association’s hardline stand has already stirred resentment on both sides of the border.
Amid mounting tensions, Rakkam called for restraint, remarking that, “Both association needs to find an amicable solution through dialogue, otherwise people from both sides will suffer.”
Yet the State government has stuck to its standard playbook, once again directing the AKMTTA to engage with the high-level committee headed by the Chief Secretary. This line has been the government’s refrain even before the protests spilled onto the streets, underscoring the administration’s reluctance to adopt a firmer approach to the deepening conflict.
