By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, March 26: Confederation of Meghalaya Social Organisations (CoMSO) chairman Roy Kupar Synrem on Thursday reiterated that he had not made any remarks against any particular religion, even as he asserted that he stood by his statement that the Hynniewtrep people would stand by the Achik community in Garo Hills.
Synrem clarified this after appearing before the Investigating Officer of Lumdiengjri police station at Sadar Police Station in connection with a suo motu FIR registered against him over a speech delivered earlier this month.
He said his statement was taken out of context, with only a portion of it going viral on social media. “My statement should be read in totality and not just a particular line, as that can create confusion and misunderstanding,” Synrem, also the president of Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC), told reporters.
Hundreds of HYC and CoMSO members and supporters accompanied him to the police station during his appearance.
The FIR, filed on March 14, pertains to a speech that he delivered at Motphran on March 11, where certain excerpts circulated online allegedly suggested remarks against a particular religion and statements that could incite communal disharmony.
According to the complaint, the remarks were seen as potentially disturbing peace and tranquility.
Synrem has been booked under Section 196(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which deals with promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, caste or community.
Responding to the allegations, he maintained that his speech did not target any religion and was, instead, focused on the issue of illegal immigration. “My only concern was illegal Bangladeshis and the situation in Garo Hills, which is a political issue and not a religious one,” he said.
He further clarified that his reference to Hynniewtrep people standing “shoulder to shoulder” with the Achik community was meant in the spirit of unity among indigenous tribal groups of the state.
“If one community faces any threat, it is the responsibility of others to stand together. That was the context of my statement,” he added.
Synrem further denied that his speech had led to any communal tension, pointing out that no untoward incidents had been reported in Shillong or East Khasi Hills thereafter.
On the issue of the viral video clips, he said he was not responsible for how parts of his speech were edited and circulated. He added that it was up to the police to take action if they found that the content had been misrepresented or used to mislead the public.
