SHILLONG, July 15: A controversy has erupted after the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) locked an alleged unauthorised temple inside the CBI office premises in Shillong and demanded its demolition within seven days.
The KSU Shillong Mihngi Circle claimed the under-construction structure was built illegally on government revenue land, violating the purpose for which the land was allotted and breaching Supreme Court guidelines on religious constructions on public property. The union said it had earlier received assurances that no religious structure would be allowed in the compound.
The demand was strongly condemned by the Kutumba Surakshya Parishad (KSP), a Guwahati-based organisation. In a statement on Wednesday, KSP president Satya Ranjan Borah described it as “anti-social, anti-constitutional and anti-national” and warned that such moves could trigger communal unrest.
Borah recalled that Meghalaya authorities had assured his organisation in 2018 during the Mawjymbuin Cave controversy that the state’s secular ethos would be protected. He said the latest development has shaken trust in the government’s commitment to the Constitution.
“India is a secular country and every citizen has the basic right to worship as per his or her belief. We must not support activities that create social and communal tension,” Borah said.
The Parishad urged Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma to intervene and ensure that people can practice their religion freely without obstruction.
However, BJP MLA and Leader A.L. Hek backed the KSU’s stand, stating that no place of worship should exist inside any government office and should be restricted to private residences.
