SHILLONG, JUNE 25: The Khasi Students’ Union today opposed the alleged attempt to forcefully include over 200 villages under the three districts of Khasi Hills region in a map submitted to the Centre government for the creation of a separate Garoland state.
Leaders of the KSU from South West Khasi Hills District, West Khasi Hills District and Ri Bhoi District have maintained that they are not against the demand for a Garoland state but it is should not be based on the map in question.
The clear stand of the Union was made known following the rally staged by the Garo Hills State Movement Committee (GHSMC), which is spearheading the demand, at New Delhi recently.
The proposed map for the separate Garoland was submitted by the now disbanded Achik National Volunteer Council (ANVC) to the Centre government in 2006.
Speaking to newsmen here on Monday, KSU-SWKH president Forwardman Nongrem said, “We welcomed the demand for the creation of a Garoland state but we will never accept the proposed map which seeks to encroach into the Khasi land.”
“This is because most of the villages under the Khasi Hills region will be affected. In view of this, we want to make it clear that from our side we will not allow an inch of our land to be included in the proposed Garoland state,” he said.
KSU Ranikor president Marcony Thongni said that as per the map prepared by the ANVC, over 200 villages in the three districts of Khasi Hills will be part of the separate Garoland state.
On the other hand, KSU-WKH president John Fisher Nongsiang said though some of the Khasi villages bordering with Garo Hills are dominated by Garo inhabitants but to include these villages in proposed Garoland based on population is not acceptable.
KSU-Ri Bhoi president FK Kharkamni said that the people of the Ri Bhoi district will never accept such move especially when they are still fighting against the alleged illegal encroachment by the Assam government.
Meanwhile, Nongrem said that the Union also urged the movement spearheading the demand to refrain from taking into consideration the map submitted by the ANVC and to respect the existing pillars demarcating the boundary between the two regions-Khasi Hills and Garo Hills.
The KSU further demanded the State government and the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) to immediately intervene into the matter.
“Both the state government and the KHADC should take up the matter seriously. The KHADC especially should protest against such attempt to include villages under its jurisdiction in the proposed Garoland state map,” Nongrem said.
Asked, the KSU-SWKH president said that if the GSHMC continues to pressurize the Centre based on the said map, the Union will be compelled to take other means of action.
According to him, the Union will right away start creating awareness to the people of the three districts about the threat posed by the proposed Garoland map and to unitedly oppose this move.
By Our Reporter
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