SHILLONG: Chairman of advisory committee of Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC), Anthony Kharbuli on Friday called upon all NGOs to unite under “one banner” in their fight against railways projects and said that the proposed talks with government was “meaningless”.
Addressing a press conference here, he said, “Railway projects in Meghalaya should be done away with. The NGOs should unite and fight under one banner. As pressure groups, we have to agitate against railway projects,” he said.
“Let KSU take the lead and we will support. We will meet the KSU on Monday to discuss on the matter,” he added.
Calling, UDP president, Donkupar Roy, a ‘comedian’, Kharbuli ridiculed Roy’s suggestion to debate on the merits and the demerits of the proposed railway projects in the State.
He maintained that the state government should put up entry/exit points to control illegal immigration even as he asserted that influx of non-tribals had increased and the indigenous people were being sidelined.
On the other hand, he decried the attitude of some NGOs who would extort money from non-tribals etc., which according to him has weakened the NGOs stand on certain issues especially in the issue of influx which, he observed, has been a major problem since the year 1994.
“NGOs are engaged in making money and do not work for the issues of public interests,” Kharbuli said.
A former KSU leader, Kharbuli was active during the late 80s leading the KSU along with late Bull Lyngdoh against the move of the state government, led by PA Sangma, to bring in railway projects which were met with stiff resistance.
Recalling that their (KSU-led) protests bore fruit as the state government in the year 1989 decided to not go ahead with its plan to allow railway network expansion to the state, he said, “In those days of our protests in the past, we never called for talks as it has no meaning.”
At the height of movement against railway projects in late 80s in the state, he said, Bull Lyngdoh and he had been arrested but released after the state government succumbed to their demand in 1989.
He claimed to have maintained newspaper clippings since the year 1989 which reported about the incidents of stone throwing, intimidation and attempted arson and their arrests.
Referring to the present situation, he said, “The NGOs are weak. It has been over 28 years now and the issue on railways has resurfaced out of the blue.”
