Shillong, October 17: Even as the twelve hours bandh called by the pro-ILP ngos ended on Thursday, the proscribed Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) has called a 36-hours bandh from October 21 to October 22 to protest against the visit of President Pranab Mukherjee to Shillong.
The 36-hour bandh will start from 6 am on October 21 to 6 pm on October 22.
The bandh will be effective in the Khasi-Jaintia hills districts of of Meghalaya.
“The bandh which will be enforced in the entire Khasi-Jaintia hills region and has been called to “mark of political protest against the two day visits of Mukherjee on the Hynniewtrep land,” HNLC publicity secretary Sainkupar Nongtraw said in a statement to media on Thursday.
Meanwhile during the 12-hour bandh sponsored by the pro-ILP ngos on Thursday the police arrested two persons identified as Thrangbor Nongrum (32) of Kyrbom Mawprem and Shemlad Nongum (34) of Wahingdoh by the Lawmali police with two catapults, marble size stones, knuckles and 180 ml of liquor seized.
The Thursday bandh evoked total response in the state as government offices, financial institutions, educational institutions and business establishment remained closed. The state and central government offices saw negligible attendances across the state.
The normally busy roads wore a deserted looks as no vehicles except ambulances and security forces vehicles were seen plying.
The thirteen pro-ILP nogs had called the twelve hours bandh to put pressure on the Meghalaya government to implement the ILP in the state to control influx and illegal migration into the state.
Meanwhile the 36-hour HNLC bandh beginning on October 21has been called as President Pranab Mukherjee is scheduled to address the special session of the state assembly on coming Monday and inaugurate the Innovation Club at the North Eastern Hill University (NEHU) and also attend its 21st convocation.
Nongtraw in a press communiqué said that the decision to call for the 36-hour bandh was taken recently by the collective leadership of the outfit’s high command (in Bangladesh).He termed the president’s visit as an insult to the outfit.
Nongtraw said, “October 21 is the 25th death anniversary of Wickliff Syiem, the founder of tribal Nationalism.”
Airing its support to the present stir sponsored by pro-ILP activists, the HNLC condemned the “confronting attitude” of the state government on the issue. Nongtraw said, “The Congress-led government is in fact compelling more youths to take up arms and sort out for solution.” – By Our Reporter
I hope the HNLC is aware that on the 21st of October there is an NIOS exam and thousand of students from our state are writing the exam and this a National exam so they cannot deprive the students to go and write the exam.