SHILLONG: Chief Minister Conrad Sangma has admitted that the issue of Harijan Colony has always been a complicated one, but is optimistic that the government will find a solution and move forward.
“When it comes to the issue as a whole, it is the High Level Committee (HLC) that is working on it. There are lots of discussions taking place and a lot of initiatives being taken. We have to wait till the committee comes up with the full report,” he told reporters on the sidelines of a programme on Friday.
The chief minister left for New Delhi on Friday to attend the NITI Aayog meeting on Saturday. Official sources said the chief minister may meet the Union Home Minister Amit Shah during his stay in the national capital and discuss the Harijan Colony issue. Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong, who is already in New Delhi, is likely to accompany the chief minister.
The sources also said that on Thursday, the Chief Secretary had apprised the Home secretary on the situation prevailing in Harijan Colony. He was accompanied by Principal Secretary in charge of Urban and Municipal Affairs.
Asked on the relocation of the people of Harijan Colony, Sangma said the state government is waiting for the report from the HLC following which decisions will be taken.
A delegation of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) met the state Home Minister on Thursday to voice opposition to relocation of the Harijan Colony people.
As for the security aspect following the banned militant group HNLC’s threat to take action against the people of Harijan Colony, the chief minister said the duty of the government is to ensure that every life is protected.
Sangma informed that the chief secretary and the principal secretary of Urban and Municipal Affairs updated the Home ministry on the status of the Harijan Colony episode.
Further, he said the Ministry of Home Affairs has been in touch with the state government ever since the Harijan Colony riot last year.
“This has been an exercise that has been going on for a long time but we did not make public the fact that the ministry has been in touch with us,” he said.
With the state chief secretary holding meetings with officials of the Home ministry, he said the Home minister and the home secretary wanted to understand the details of the incidents and the response emanating from the incident.
