Khasi villages fear inclusion in Assam dist

SHILLONG, AUG 25: Fear of being forcefully included in the proposed new district of Assam West Karbi Anglong district have forced the Rangbah Shnong (headmen) of seventeen villages and ngos under Block II of Raid Nongtung to seek Meghalaya government’s intervention to ensure that these villages with Khasi population do not under any circumstances get included in the new district Assam government is planning to create.

Headmen under the umbrella of the Synjuk Ki Rangbah Shnong – Block II under Raid Nongtung along with six ngos also wanted the Meghalaya government to stop Assam from the ongoing NRC drive.

“We demand that the Assam government not to include these 17 villages in its newly created West Karbi Anglong District,” Synjuk president B Sohtun, who is also the headman of Sabuda village told newsmen at a press conference on Tuesday.

Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi in his Independence Day speech had announced the creation of five new districts in Assam which include Biswanath, Charaideo, Hojai, South Salmara-Mankachar and West Kharbi Anglong.

Sohtun is apprehensive that the 17 villages’ under Raid Nongtung of Hima Khyriem in Ri Bhoi  are located near Karbi Anglong and, therefore, might be usurped by Assam by including it in its new district.

These villages include – Umhir, Umsder, Pdiangtleit, Ummat, Umlaper, Umru, Umsdangktat, Jatalong, Sabuda, Itpatong, Khlieh-Umwang, Madan-Umwang, Umtlih, Umsarang, Mawshladiang, Laru and Umsohlaper.

Sohtun is worried as he said  despite the announcement of creation of new district, the Assam government has chosen to keep mum on the number of villages to be included in the new district.

Opposing the National Register of Citizens (NRC) conducted by the Assam since May this year, Sohtun accused the Assam government of adopting the NRC as a tactic to forcefully include these villages into its jurisdiction.

“The Block Level Officers (BLOs) appointed by Assam to conduct the drive has also sideline the Rangbah Shnongs by going door to door, thereby duping the ignorant residents. Some of them have registered under the NRC of Assam,” Sohtun informed.

Sohtun said soon the headmen will meet chief minister Mukul Sangma to seek his intervention into the issue and also urged Ri Bhoi deputy commissioner if Assam is trying to include these villages in the new district of Assam.-By Our Reporter