Shillong, October 18: Even as the North Eastern Hills University (NEHU), the NEHU Students Union (NEHUSU) and the National Institute of Opening Schooling (NIOS) have appealed to the proscribed Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) to call off the 36 hours bandh called on 21 and 22 October, the Informed Conscious And Responsible Existence (ICARE) has decided to hold a public gathering at Khyndailad on Monday (October 21) as a mark of protest against the outfit’s bandh.
The ICARE held a meeting and resolved that frequent and prolonged bandhs or public curfews, aside from being illegal, are anti-people and anti-poor for an underdeveloped state like Meghalaya.
The ICARE said that the 36 hours bandh called by the HNLC appears to overlook the fact that it is in fact a 48 hour bandh taking into consideration that October 20which is a Sunday. It said, “It overlooked the reality that there are thousands of daily wage earners who live on a hand to mouth basis who could ill afford three continuous wage-less days.”
The HNLC had announced a 36-hour “bandh” as a mark of protest on the two-day maiden visit of President Pranab Mukherjee to Shillong beginning from October 21. The bandh had been called from 6 am on October 21 to 6 pm on October 22.
Mukherjee is scheduled to address the special session of the Meghalaya state assembly on Monday and inaugurate the Innovation Club at the North Eastern Hill University (NEHU) and also attend its 21st convocation slated for October 22.
In a press statement issued on Friday the NEHU pro-vice chancellor appealed to the HNLC to withdraw the proposed bandh which happens to fall on the 21st Convocation Day scheduled to be held on October 22. The statement said, “This will enable the university to confer the various degrees to over 8000 students including Graduate, Post-Graduate, M.Phil, Ph.D Degrees and to all Special Awardees and Gold Medalists.”
On the other hand, the NEHU Students’ Union said that the bandh should be deferred so that the Convocation Day can take place which is held only once in a year.
NEHUSU president Peacestar L Nonglait said that more than 2600 aspirant will come and take the pride of their hard work for their respective degree in different categories and besides it will also consist students from other parts of the north eastern states, different parts of India as well as abroad,
Nonglait said it is necessary for students to be able to attend the event freely without any restrictions.
The National Institute of Opening Schooling (NIOS) has also appeal to the HNLC and the pro-ILP ngos to suspend all agitations till November 12 to enable students from Meghalaya to attend their examination without any hindrance.
In press communiqué, the institute informed that the NIOS board is conducting the final examination from October 17 to November 12 for Secondary (X) and Senior Secondary (12th). It further said that this is an All India Examination in which bandhs will affect many students in Meghalaya as the exam is scheduled from 2.30 pm to 5.30 pm.
Beside the HNLC bandh, the ICARE also discussed at length the ongoing agitations by the pro ILP ngos and said in a statement issued on Friday evening that the citizens have also expressed their disgust at the adamant attitude of agitating ngos as well as the nonchalant attitude of the government.
The statement said, “The common citizen has been held hostage to this ego ridden standoff. No other term can explain the trauma of the man on the street.”
Stating that the “ take-it or leave –it offer in the form of the Tenancy Act” to counter the ILP demand, reflects very poorly on the seriousness of the government to resolve the influx issue, the ICARE said, “People wonder as to why no proactive action is being undertaken against suspected illegal migrants who are already in the state.”- By Our Reporter
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